What is Manopause you ask?
Manopause:
"A mental condition typically found in men in their mid to late 50's brought on by the realization that old age is just around the corner. Symptoms include: frequent reminiscing about the “good ol’ days”, cranky judgmental attitude and a closed minded approach to anything new. Usually punctuated by the chronic need to play a lot golf and vote republican. The condition is difficult to cure and almost always progresses into oldtimers disease."
The term man-opause is often applied when a middle-aged man behaves in ways contrary to their typical natures. Some people erroneously use this and similar terms to explain mid-life crisis', divorce, and adultery to name a few, assuming that the male version is similar to the female version. In actuality, the two could not be more different.
"A mental condition typically found in men in their mid to late 50's brought on by the realization that old age is just around the corner. Symptoms include: frequent reminiscing about the “good ol’ days”, cranky judgmental attitude and a closed minded approach to anything new. Usually punctuated by the chronic need to play a lot golf and vote republican. The condition is difficult to cure and almost always progresses into oldtimers disease."
The term man-opause is often applied when a middle-aged man behaves in ways contrary to their typical natures. Some people erroneously use this and similar terms to explain mid-life crisis', divorce, and adultery to name a few, assuming that the male version is similar to the female version. In actuality, the two could not be more different.
The real thing
Real menopause is characterized by a sudden onset and rapid decrease in hormones due to a complete shutdown of the female reproductive system. The chemical reaction within the body is extreme and oftentimes responsible for erratic behavior and mood swings. While the physical side effects are numerous and well-documented, the emotional aspect can be more disruptive.During menopause a woman has so many physiological changes taking place, added to those is the underlying point of losing the reproductive ability. Many women see menopause as the hour in which the biological clock strikes it's last, and they make it a deadline in their lives. In the same way that pregnancy illustrates the supreme essence of womanhood to mothers, the loss of this gift is like the stripping of a woman's purpose and can be extremely difficult to come to terms with. The silver lining comes in the form of the cessation of the menstrual cycle and a knowledge that the transition is temporary.
Hormonal Changes in a Man
Men do not have the luxury, if you will, to blame their behavior on a sudden drop in testosterone. It is a fact that male hormones are lost gradually beginning around age 30 and continuing a downward rate of 1% per year for the rest of their lives.2 The androgen, or testosterone-like hormones, of men in their 70s was shown to have decreased by as much as 50%.Physical Effects
The changing chemistry within the body is a physical process that has a profound influence over the individual. A woman may experience any or all of these side effects within a relatively short period of time, but for men it is important to remember that these manifest themselves over time, from as early as a man's 40s and onward. The most common physical side effects to manopause are-
- Loss of appetite
- Impotency
- Loss of libido
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Hot flashes and sweating
These side effects may ebb and flow, or they may stay. It is not uncommon to experience more than one of these symptoms, and many others that are reported in lesser numbers, at the same time. Each side effect will typically call for its own treatment. A rule of thumb in the medical field is to treat the sickness and not the symptoms, but in the case of the laws of aging it is a fight that cannot be won.
Emotional & Mental Effects
This loss of testosterone can have life-changing mental and emotional effects on a man that may be considered more severe than the physical ones. For example, along with erectile dysfunction will come the embarrassing frustrations and feelings of inadequacy that are commonly associated with sexual performance issues. For a man, being unable to satisfy their spouse can be one of the most psychologically-tormenting and unpreventable side effects of the aging process. Several of the most significant and influential of these non-physical side effects of manopause include:
- Mood swings
- Memory impairment
- Depression
- Lack of focus
- Feelings of Inadequacy
- Insecurities
- Irritability
