[Jackolar12]

Hey Shock Sis, I had some time to work on my theory of the menopause contributing to the midlife crisis today. I know you said you went through it some years later, but read this snippet below.

 If your menopause was diagnosed within the 5 years of your MLC ending you would probably have been in peri menopause during that crazy time and suffering from peri depression. It would also in part explain your compulsion/need to follow the process as your hormones were changing together with your brain functioning and biology, you really would have had to do it as it was out of your control.

 Without the proper diagnosis which you will read is difficult hormone replacement might have eased your compulsions. I may be wrong but if there’s some of this is applicable to your situation I would like to know. I will leave you read your study now hehe.
Kind regards
Jack

Diagnostic difficulties

The World Health Organization defines the perimenopause as ‘the time immediately preceding the menopause, beginning with endocrine, biologic and clinical changes, and ending a year after the final menstrual period’.

The diagnosis of peri menopausal depression is therefore often made retrospectively. To complicate matters the physical symptoms of the menopause often present much later (up to five years) than the psychological symptoms. This delay can make the diagnosis of perimenopausal depression very difficult.

It is important for health professionals to consider whether women who experience depressive  anxiety symptoms for the first time in their mid-40s are actually experiencing depression related to the perimenopausal hormone fluctuations. Similarly, women who experience an exacerbation of a previously well-controlled depression may also be experiencing a perimenopausal relapse.

[megogirl]

Jack

I think you think peri/menopause is worse than it really is.  Not that it’s necessarily fun, but it’s not like the Grim Reaper shows up either.

IMO it is separate and succinct from MLC.

[Shockandawe]

Hi Jack

I still don’t think menopause or peri menopause had the slightest thing to do with my MLC. I’m sorry but I absolutely don’t. I know it’s roots were laid down a very long time ago and over time I had suppressed so much for so long that it was a ticking time bomb.
I know it had absolutely nothing to do with my ex h and entirely everything to do with my issues.

[Anon]

I still don’t think menopause or peri menopause had the slightest thing to do with my MLC.

I'm with you SS.  All women go through menopause and peri-menopause - 100%.   What % will go through a mid-life crisis?  10%,, maybe 15%.  idk but not even close to 100%. 

From what I've read, the MLC hits most women between 35 - 40 yr.   Long before the appearance of menopause (typically around 50 - 53) or even peri-menopause (typically 5 yrs before menopause).  What about the women who go through instant menopause when they have a hysterectomy?  What % of those women have a MLC?   Probably no more than the usual average which is quite low.

Jackolar,,, I'm sorry but I too, think you are barking up the wrong tree. 

[Jackolar12]

Hi Shock Sis, it was just a thought that it might have had some influence in your situation, as we all know MLC is made up of so many factors pertaining to the individual it makes your head spin thinking about it. Although you have clearly identified your particular triggers others may have not worked it out as you have as you seem very self aware.

 At least you can begin to heal knowing the roots of your crisis. Your making great progress and being very helpful to us as we try to understand our situations. It would be great if more recovered Mlcers would visit us as we would get a bigger picture of what’s driving it in others and gain increased understanding and healing. It would also give your typing fingers a chance to cool down with so many posts I bet their glowing.
Kind regards
Jack

[Jackolar12]

Hi Anon, thank you for your view point here’s the age range of meno in the USA. As the symptoms appear earlier I would suggest early to mid forties for peri also a prime time for MLC in women. Certainly it might contribute in a small percentage but I’m not suggesting in 100%. Of course there’s always outliers either side of the average, earlier and later than 51 years.

There’s also of an example of another woman’s plight, I bet she wishes she had a dog barking in her life prior to meno. Education around this time could save many marriages. She doesn’t mention MLC at all which suggests that may be some here are suffering due to the menopause.

“In the United States, the mean age of menopause, the occurrence of the final menstrual period, is 51 years. However, the menopausal transition may begin up to a decade before the menopause; the average duration of menopausal symptoms is 4-8 years. In other words, some women will be facing physical and emotional changes over the course of several years, until they finally reach menopause.”

Here’s a later age range example:
Menopause“I was happily married to a wonderful husband for 15 years. I became perimenopausal at 49. I became depressed, had an affair, filed for divorce. It’s been a year now and I’m alone and very depressed. I went from a happy, loving wife to someone completely unrecognizable. Now I’m starting to understand the effects of hormones on my behavior.” quotes ( patient forum First for women Updated: Jul 27, 2018) https://www.firstforwomen.com/posts/perimenopause-midlife-crisis-150976

There’s examples of these first hand qualitative reports from females scattered through out menopause related forums, their stories are eerily similar just like our MLC ones are. Most academic reports I have found are targeted at the effects of treatment methods during the menopause and are funded mostly by big pharmaceutical companies. They are not targeted at the social effects of this life phase or links to MLC, there are however links to mental illness during this time.

Are your figures of 10-15% backed by research, if so I would like to see these figures for myself as I believe they relate to the 60-70s and are now much higher. Academic research in this area is sparse and if anyone has accredited reports or even better meta- analysis please forward them to me as I can’t walk very far or drive right now to get to the university to use their library.
Kind regards
Jack

[Jackolar12]

Hi Anon, I suggest these figures are more inline at this time. It’s more prolific than people can imagine, it’s growing, women are leading the way and there’s just not enough education out there.
Jack

“By age 50, even more women than men are reporting a turbulent midlife transition -- 36.1% of women, compared with 34% of men -- according to research by Elaine Wethington, a Cornell University associate professor, based on a subset of the giant 6,432-person MacArthur Foundation "Midlife in the United States" study of Americans' well-being at midlife.

Applying the findings to the 42-million-member generation of U.S. women who are nearing or in middle age, defined as about 38 to 55 years old, more than 15 million women will have, or are already having, what they regard as a midlife crisis -- about equal to the entire populations of Colorado, Massachusetts and Minnesota combined.”

[Shockandawe]

Hello Jackolar

Shock and awe here,

My big problem with this hypothesis is what is the ratio of women to men currently in MLC and how many can be attributed to menopause or andropause?
To my mind there are way too many variables to nail it down to this.
I’m not saying there are no cases attributed to it but in the cases of my parents, my sister and myself I can’t attach it to any of them.
Of the 3 cases I am personally familiar with only one had the female in MLC the other two, my h and my father, are obviously male.
It would be interesting indeed to learn the ratio of men to women in MLC and if it’s similar globally as in is it a western culture phenomenon?
I for one don’t think it’s anything to do with menopause.

God bless you all

Shock and awe

[Jackolar12]

Hi Shock and Awe, good questions and if the qualitative studies I have demonstrated are to be believed wethingtons suggestions of around 36% in women and 34% of men are in turbulence, it doesn’t mention crisis because it’s a myth isn’t it .....or is it.

There’s much to be identified within this life phase and I agree there’s too many variables but there are themes like depression, fear of aging and why not the menopause/Andropause as a contributing element, it happens around the same time and it’s science based not myth.

I wish I could tell you the percentage based on the Male/ Female menopause but I haven’t found them as yet and only a few reports of some substance regarding crisis. I can think of my former wife and several others that might be menopause related and when the Meno/ Andropause clashes with MLC it could be an ingredient involved in the disaster. Still it’s good to hear others opinions as they open new avenues to explore.
Kind regards
Jack

[rosetintedglasses]

Jack from my experience of my H. I believe he had a change in hormones around what I witnessed as the beginning of the MLC around 3 years ago. I am not sure about now but knowing this man for over 30 years I would say amongst other things his hormones changed.

I’m not sure if this is a good example or not but if you know TV show ‘Friends’ character Joey who loves ladies it would be like Joey living like that for another 20 years and then almost overnight him not noticing ladies or having any interest like he did. I am not saying my H was as extreme as that but just hope it’s an example people can relate to and that it doesn’t cause offence.

Or maybe it was part of his depression and was empty inside. Or maybe one is linked to the other but it was like he lost all his testosterone and became a shell of a man.

Rose 🌹