The 'Irritable' Condition That's Becoming So Common Among Men That Doctors Are Starting To Take Notice
Volodymyr TVERDOKHLIB | Shutterstock The term "Irritable Male Syndrome" has been making headlines recently because, although not a diagnosed medical condition, doctors are beginning to acknowledge that hormonal imbalances in midlife are having an impact on men and their mental health.
The media depicts aging men as "grumpy," with traits like scoffing and grumbling at youth and anyone who cuts them off on the freeway. As it turns out, however, men getting more irritable as they get older probably shouldn't be excused as just a byproduct of aging. In fact, doctors are beginning to take notice and point out that it's not something to be glossed over as a stereotypical trope.
Irritable male syndrome is so common among men that doctors are starting to take notice.
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According to HuffPost, in 2001, Dr. Gerald Lincoln first used the term "irritable male syndrome" (IMS) to describe how a decrease in testosterone in sheep and rams correlated with "increased irritability and aggression."
Psychologists have since used his findings to identify similar mood changes in men who often have a natural drop in testosterone as they age. Basically, men go through a similar body and mind change as women, and just like with perimenopause and menopause, science is dragging its feet when it comes to exploring these aging changes and how they might impact mental health.
Abraham Morgentaler, MD, detailed, "They have a shorter fuse. In popular culture, people link male anger with high testosterone, but as a rule, we see it more in men with low testosterone — most commonly when levels are dropping. That’s when men get cranky."
Irritable male syndrome isn't just characterized by testosterone loss.
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Dr. Justin Houman explained the symptoms of IMS to HuffPost as including "mood changes ... lower motivation and feelings of depression, difficulty concentrating or memory lapses, low energy and fatigue, reduced libido, [erectile dysfunction,] loss of muscle mass and strength, increased body fat, and sleep disturbances."
Not happening overnight, these fluctuations creep up on men in the same way age takes away the keen eyesight a person had in their youth. It's a slow change. Many are calling the condition male menopause, but just as women shouldn't have to share gender specific medical conditions, neither should men.
Age and life stressors carry a lot of weight and influence on the physical body and psyche. Therefore, life takes a toll on people, no matter the gender. It can't be avoided, neglected, or repressed when men's issues are valid to feel and talk about.
Having lowered testosterone has become stigmatized, making men reluctant to talk to their doctors about the changes they experience.
Shedding light on irritable male syndrome is integral to improving the health and wellness of men in middle age, which is why podcaster Israel Cassol is using his platform to talk about his own struggles. He told the New York Post, "Men shouldn’t see this as a weakness or something shameful. It’s a natural part of life for many, and talking about it helps break the stigma around men’s emotional health."
It's vulnerable to admit and accept a diagnosis from any doctor, especially a diagnosis that tells you this is all a part of aging, and simultaneously is looked at societally as somehow emasculating.
Harvard Health noted, "More than a third of men over age 45 may have reduced levels of testosterone than might be considered normal (though, as mentioned, defining optimal levels of testosterone is tricky and somewhat controversial)." In a nutshell, IMS is more common than we think.
The easy way out of this depletion is to start testosterone therapy to bring T back up to a "normal" level. However, as the Mayo Clinic noted, it's a decision to make after seeing a doctor and doing a full screening. More importantly, this is a health issue that deserves more attention and more research. Remember the years when hormone replacement therapy was controversial for women? Even now, it's still hard for many middle-aged women to be properly diagnosed.
IMS is much more than just being grumpy. It adds an important layer to the conversation of mental health for men, something that is still woefully disregarded. Being aware that this happens to many both reassures and validates men troubled with identity and body issues that everyone experiences to various degrees.
Emi Magaña is a writer from Los Angeles with a bachelor's in English. She covers entertainment, news, and the real human experience.
