Male Midlife Crisis

Till now, midlife life crisis or menopause was something associated with only the females. However, with time, doctors and psychologists have started recognizing a midlife crisis or ‘menopause-like’ phase in the life of men also. More and more males, usually in their 30s, 40s and 50s, are turning up at the doorstep of doctors with symptoms that are quite similar to the ones experienced by women during menopause. Some doctors have given these symptoms the name of male mid life crisis, while others prefer to call it just ‘androgen (testosterone) decline’ in an aging male.

Male Midlife Crisis Symptoms

Depression
Dry skin
Erectile dysfunction
Fatigue
Hair loss
Irritability
Lack of interest in life
Lethargy
Loss of libido (sex drive)
Loss of quick-recovery ability
Night sweats
Nostalgia regarding youth
Stiffness in the muscles and joints
Too much drinking or other substance abuse
Weight gain

Reasons of Male Midlife Crisis

Male midlife crisis has been attributed to both physical as well as psychological reasons, most of which have been listed below:

With time, the androgen (testosterone) levels in a male decline and he is not able to perform as much as before. The fall in sex drive and weak erection lead to a feeling of impotence, frustration and irritability.
Very often, male midlife crisis might be the result of a specific trigger, like a redundancy or divorce or leaving of home by children who have now become independent.
The most notable hormonal reason of male midlife crisis is the fall in androgen (testosterone) levels.
Too much smoking or drinking might trigger the onset of mid life crisis in a male.
Ailments like diabetes, hypertension and obesity might accelerate the fall in the testosterone levels of a male and lead to mid life crisis.
Prescription and non-prescription medications have been found to result in symptoms like the one seen in case of midlife crisis.

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