Man : Forty Something (Mid-life Crisis)

Middle adulthood is best known for its infamous midlife crisis:
 

• a time of reevaluation that leads to questioning long-held beliefs and values. The midlife crisis may also result in

•    a person divorcing his or her spouse,’

• changing jobs, or moving from the city to the suburbs.

• undergoing a midlife transition, or change, overhaul in life
•  
• Changes include : 

Physical Development
Both Males & Females	Males	Females
§ Decline in hearing & seeing. § Decrease in height. § Hair is graying. § Increasing wrinkles. § Middle-age spread due to metabolism slow down. § Bone mass deterioration. § Slow steady decline in strength.	§ Balding. § Decrease in testosterone levels between ages 45 - 50 § Health is more important to men.	§ Decrease in estrogen levels between ages 45 – 52.

Social Development
Both Males and Females	Males	Females
§ Need to recognize & nourish the changes noted in the other. § Not a time when couples divorce - but will separate for a time & come back together. § Dramatic climb in satisfaction in marriage after the mid-life crisis (see Cognitive Development). § Mate becomes a source of good friendship. § Grown children may become good friends & companions. § Individuals alone may find this period essentially good, being responsible only for themselves. § Rediscover community.	§ Being good father as important as promotions. § Career position is important. § Become family oriented.	§ Wives may want to go out to work; to seek their own way after the children leave.

Mid Life Crisis
Both Males & Females in	Males	Females
§ May be panicky; fear of getting too introspective. § If depression does set in - get help! § Looks more to the past than the future. § Men & career women feeling time is running out; can everything be accomplished? § Assessment of self extends to examination of responsibilities, career, and marriage. § Time of considerable inner stress. § Aging versus successful aging. § Letting go of impossible dreams leads to sense of relief. § Realigning goals and setting new ones. § Dealing with dreams and aspirations. § Adjusting idealistic hope to realistic possibilities. § Recognizing the need to change in thinking. § Replacing achieved goals & dreams with new goals & dreams. § Moving out of roles; becoming more aware of self.	§ Denying of middle-age through various escape mechanisms, i.e., affairs with younger women, extreme exercise to try to maintain body, and by being a workaholic to avoid thought on crisis. § Learning balance between career and family. § At 45, restabilizes & equilibrium returns.	§ Empty nest syndrome. § May enter crisis period before mate. § Become bored. § Caregiving changes; becomes redirected, directing focus to outside of home § Becoming aware of own identity. § Many enjoying time for themselves. § Many choosing not to remarry after divorce.

Sexual Development		Cognitive Development
Males	Females	Both Male and Female
§ Testosterone levels decrease gradually & over long period of time. § Climacteric (male menopause) occurs between ages 45 & 50. § Climacteric seems to affect only 15% of men with changes in hormonal levels § Symptoms include: o  Moodiness o  Anxiousness at ageing. o  Anxiety leading to further decrease in testosterone. § Morning fatigue, lassitude, & vague pains; o  nervousness, irritability, o   & depression; diminished sexual potency; o  dizzy spells, o  hot flashes, o  chills, o  sweating, o  & headaches	§ Estrogen levels begin to decrease. § Menopause may begin around ages 45 to 50 years old; sometimes older. § 90% of women are not overwhelmed by problems of menopause. § Before menopause: o  Vaginal lubrication diminishes to a degree. o  Irregular periods & shorter cycles. o  Fatigue & less energy. o  Depression & mood swings. § During menopause: o  Menstruation stops. o  Hot flashes & skin temperature rises & falls. o  Insomnia or sleep disruption. § After menopause: o  Nervous system changes. o  Vaginal dryness. o  Bladder problems. o  Increase in loss of bone mass. § "Menopause is as individual as a thumbprint. No two women experience it alike."	§ Mental stress due to caring for ageing parents & children. § Death of remaining living parent one of the most constant crisis areas in image of self. § May fixate on another's illness/disease.

Excerpt from : www.middleage.org/profile.shtml

To remedy this transition midlife crisis steps needed :

• Change to New You

• Open yourself to new possibilities.

§  Stuck in a career declination, consider changing your field,

o  whether you apply for new jobs

o  go back to part-time education at university.

§  Unhappy with your love life, think about making a major change.

o   Refrain from keeping yourself tied down to unhappiness and discontentment by refusing (or being too afraid) to reevaluate and change up your life.

•  Plan Your Life

• Figure out want to do in life . Pinpoint and identify the source of your dissatisfaction.

§  Ask yourself if your

o   finances are troubling you, whether you're simply

o   tired of being alone or whether you just

o   feel stressed out, exhausted  all of the time.

§  The better you grasp the  problems, the quicker you will be able to work on and eliminate them from your life.

•  Implement Your Plan New Life

• Work on yourself. Sometimes a simple change may be all you need.

§  If you feel unhappy and lackluster about your life, do a little something to bring the spark back.

§  Start working out at the gym to lose a little bit of weight and tone up. Take up an exciting new hobby, such as take a hobby or cooking Italian style.

• Pace Your Steps and Life

• Take things slowly. If you want to make a major change to your lifestyle, don't just jump into something new and unfamiliar.

§  Start out slowly. Pursue a new career, take time to make sure it is really something that you want.

§  Research the career, the educational requirements to work hours and salary. Understand the reality of something before you take such an important leap.

• Be Yourself

• Allow yourself to be afraid. Being scared and nervous about new situations is completely healthy. You wouldn't be human if nothing ever made you feel a little uncertain.

§  Instead of giving your fear the power to hold you back, however, acknowledge that your feelings are a normal part of the process of change and improvement.

• Belief In Yourself

• Believe in yourself. Have faith in your instincts and intuition.

§  Avoid listening to speculations and people hearsay.. No one knows what you want and need out of your life better than yourself.

Have a Happy and 

Lightening 40 something Days.