Do You Live With The Irritable Man

Well, the question had to be asked, so we asked it. Do you, Mrs. Middle America, live with the Irritable Man? Well, she says, He can get irritable if he's hungry and dinner's not on the table, and he gets REALLY irritable when Bush is on TV….

Stand down, Mrs. Middle America, thanks for your help. We are not asking if you live with AN irritable man, we are asking if you live with THE Irritable Man. If you do live with him, you would know it, but not necessarily know why he is the Irritable Man. When you were first married, was Hubby good natured, patient, slow to anger? Was he just a happy guy? As the years passed, did he seem to lose that confident grin? Was he less willing to go out with friends, go on that church picnic, and even go to the store? Has he started to get in disagreements with strangers about seemingly insignificant things? Has he started to yell at people? Has he even started to yell at you, his little pumpkin?

Sit down, girlfriend, and have a nice cup of tea. We are going to help you. You are living with the Irritable Man, like millions of your sisters! But, we are going to tell you how to exorcise that Irritable Man right out of your house, and bring Hubby back! Would you like that?

It all started in Scotland, when a sheep researcher began to notice that if the rams experienced a fall in testosterone, they became irritable, withdrawn and irrational. A psychotherapist happened to see the researcher's report and began to wonder if the same could be said of menopausal men.

Why yes, Mrs. Middle America, men do go through a male menopause. But because men's cycles are not as evident as women's, the change isn't quite as noticeable. Men experience their menopause between forty and sixty years old. Their testosterone levels start to drop, their hair starts to thin, their muscle mass shrinks, but that change in a man's hormone level effects him psychologically, interpersonally, sexually, socially, and spiritually. One of the first symptoms is a subtly sullen anger and a withdrawal. That's when he started spending all his time in the garage, Mrs. Middle America.? Well, I think we might be onto something.

The symptoms progress to anger, yelling, exaggerated bodily movements, sleeplessness; physiologically he has a surge of stress hormones going on, causing heightened blood pressure, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, trembling…and yes, Ma'am, constipation too. You noticed that, did you?

The answer, Mrs. Middle America, is a trip to the doctor, who will look him over, do some tests, and then recommend treatment, such as hormone replacement therapy…You take them too, Ma'am? Well, there you go. The Doctor will probably also recommend some lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise. He may recommend some other types of medicine, or maybe herbs. Maybe he will recommend a men's support group where your hubby meet other men that…what's that, Ma'am? They have to be Cubby fans like him? I'll see what we can do…

Recommended Reading

1. The Irritable Man - It all started in Scotland, when a researcher noticed that rams became irritable, withdrawn and irrational when their testosterone levels...
2. Self Esteem And Male Menopause - When a man reaches middle age in our culture, he has seen many things and learned much throughout his life....
3. Anxiety In The Menopausal Man - Everyone knows the caricature of the querulous old man....
4. Man O Pause - Can there still be a person who does not believe that male menopause is real? Anyone who doubts it only...
5. Sneak Your Man To Health - Herbs may be the ideal way to ease into dealing with your man's symptoms of male menopause....