It's not really a mid-life crisis. He could be suffering from the male version of menopause, andropause.
Unlike menopause, andropause makes a gradual progress. And It could take a decade or more for the symptoms to set in. However, there are no clear physical manifestations that explain why men often refuse or even fail to recognise it. The symptoms that indicate andropause are:
* Do you have a decreased sex drive?
* Are your energy levels low?
* Are you sad and grumpy?
* Has there been a decrease in your work performance?
* Are you depressed because of all this?
* Are you forty?
If you have answered yes to the above questions, chances are that you may be suffering from andropause.
Andropause also has some serious health implications apart from the loss of desire and mood swings that include:
Loss of bone density, which leads to osteoporosis.
* Cardiovascular risk.
* Decrease in lean muscle.
* Increase in fat.
* Anemia, or low blood levels of iron.
"When someone shows andropausal symptoms, the best person to go is to the physician. They usually refer the patient to us, especially if the person shows signs of depression and anxiety. The treatment has to be holistic. So that the person can get back to his normal life,” Clinical Psychologist, Fortis Hospital, Dr Vandana Prakash says.
There are actually several things you should remember while dealing with andropause and they are:
* Not to tivialise symptoms like fatigue, irritability and relationship problems.
* To keep the mind busy, exercise and try meditation.
Andropause actually affect males under 40 years. So even if you are not in your forties but yet have the symptoms, it could be more than just a bad day for you.