The Toll Male Menopause Takes on Family

Unless someone is knowledgeable concerning male menopause the individual may even be blamed or made to feel bad about having the symptoms.

Male menopause is a condition that is not always understood by those who suffer from it or those close to them. The symptoms cause the sufferer to feel isolated and the often felt depression makes it difficult seek help. Men find it difficult to seek medical attention for issues that are obvious, the nature of male menopause having physiological, emotional and mental elements to it means that those who suffer are less likely to seek the help they need. This exacerbates the situation at home and at work.

The fatigue makes it difficult to complete tasks at work as well as at home. The irritability and depression, and also anxiety make it difficult for others to get close enough to help. Unless someone is knowledgeable concerning male menopause the individual may even be blamed or made to feel bad about having the symptoms.

There are a few things to look for early on that may help males to seek help before they worsen.

Look for:

Short term memory loss

Changes in physique such as muscle turning to flab and a widening middle

Sexual indication include:

Decreased Libido

Erection problems

Difficulty achieving ejaculation

These changes can start as early as age 35.

Untreated male menopause leads to break-down of relationships at home and at work. Males often try to compensate for the physical and other symptoms by looking for comfort away from those they would normally find comfort from (wife and other family members or friends). This is the time when marriages suffer the most and often times the males leave home, abandoning wives and children. In this case everyone suffers, not just the male. As the hormonal levels continue to decrease the symptoms worsen or more symptoms surface.

Often the first to notice the symptoms are the females involved. They may even notice similarities between the symptoms he is exhibiting to the ones they themselves may have encountered if they themselves are going through pre-menopause, menopause or remember moms and sisters going through it. Male menopause is also becoming more known both in the medical community as well as on the Internet. Books and Websites are springing up spreading the word about the existence of male menopause.

One difference between female menopause and male menopause is that for females the changes are more abrupt and thus more noticeable. Male menopause is a more gradual change making it more difficult to notice or to look as if the symptoms are related to a condition instead of a personality trait or that he is "just becoming a cranky old man".

The key to good family health is for all adults to be more aware of health issues that may affect each member including age related ones. There are many health magazines to subscribe to, health Websites that are very informative and some that have newsletters that go out to the membership alerting them to health concerns. Knowledge is power and can save a lot of heartache and misery.