You never used to give the midlife crisis a second thought. After all, it seemed like something that only affected men much older than you, right? But now, you’re facing the same signs of aging you thought you’d never experience. The changes have come with an unexpected intensity. It’s the midlife crisis. So, what do you do now?
Your body has clearly changed. Your hairline has receded, and your midsection has become more pronounced. Maybe you’ve started asking yourself a lot of questions: Didn’t I used to have the hint of a six-pack? Why do I get tired so quickly? And is my wife really the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with?
Welcome to midlife! PS: You are perfectly normal!
A midlife crisis is an emotional upheaval that happens to both men and women as we realise that everything has an end and that life might not last forever after all.
Although both genders can be affected by this crisis, it’s men in particular who tend to try to reclaim their youth - often with a newly acquired motorcycle licence in their back pocket and a speeding ticket in tow.
This turning point in life usually affects men between the ages of 45 and 64. Fortunately, it's not a crisis that lasts a lifetime. Most often, it releases its grip within 3 to 10 years. For women, it usually lasts for 2 to 5 years.
The crisis occurs not only as a result of physical changes, but also because we become our own harshest critics, questioning the life we have built. Was this the career I imagined? Is this how I want to live my life?
It feels like time is running out.
The midlife crisis often hits as a result of a loss of identity associated with being young. Suddenly, you find yourself among the ranks of middle-aged people. It's a psychological crisis where we reflect on our age, the transience of life, and perhaps the perceived lack of accomplishments in adult life.
READ MORE: Get How to Boost Self-Esteem – 8 Proven tips
Therefore, it's not uncommon to fall into a black hole when the panic age sets in - but it's also possible to use the crisis constructively to make changes and improvements in our lives.
The midlife crisis is a relatively new concept introduced by Canadian psychoanalyst Elliott Jaques in 1957. He studied the careers of several composers and artists and concluded that there were changes in work style and a clear loss of productivity by the age of 35.
Note that midlife crisis is a phenomenon that affects some and completely bypasses others. In other words, not all men (or women) experience a crisis at all. Others, however, will need help to get through it.
Nevertheless, research shows that some personality types have a higher risk of experiencing a midlife crisis than others. People who have struggled with mental health challenges earlier in life are more likely to be affected.
However, the fact remains that anyone can be affected when suddenly faced with failing health, children leaving the nest, the loss of parents, choosing a partner (or not), or a career path that hasn’t gone according to plan.
READ MORE: Male Menopause: How Does it Affect You
And then there are all the other stressors of everyday life on top of that.
The bottom line is that being a man in his 40s, 50s or 60s can feel difficult.
Below you can see the typical symptoms of midlife crisis for men:
What all adult men have in common is that their bodies produce less testosterone than they did in their twenties.
Testosterone alone is hardly the answer to the midlife crisis you're going through. But testosterone is important for muscle mass, hair growth and sex drive, among other things. Unfortunately, your levels of testosterone decrease as you get older.
READ MORE: Testosterone: The Ultimative Guide for Men
Taking two capsules of the supplement 4HIM TestoBalance provides zinc, which helps maintain normal testosterone levels in the blood and supports normal fertility and reproductive function. Magnesium and vitamin B6 aid in reducing tiredness and fatigue. Magnesium also supports normal energy metabolism, muscle function, and psychological function. Additionally, Mucuna pruriens can help enhance sex drive and improve fertility.
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