[Dontgiveup]

DGU, what if the MLC life process is, in fact, not a life process but an abnormality in the life process?

I am fine with calling it an abnormality in the life process.  My main points are that MLC is not a specific medical condition and (perhaps therefore) there is no cure.

[Gallagher]

T-this is fascinating.  My FIL and H went through a MLC at exactly the same age, 48.5.  I have 3 boys, you bet we talk openly about mid life transitions (I relate it to teenage transitions) and the possibility that they could experience a transition time when they near 50.  Prevention is my goal.  Hopefully my boys will be open to exploring the possibility if they have a rough transition or crisis near the same age.  They will know it happened to grandpa and dad. 

[Anjae]

I am fine with calling it an abnormality in the life process.  My main points are that MLC is not a specific medical condition and (perhaps therefore) there is no cure.

You're right, probably there is no cure. I think we're using cure because we're thrilled with the novelty. I would say a mitigation is possible. It is not possible to prevent a woman of having menopause but it is possible, when needed, to mitigate the effects. 

There also isn't a cure for cancer (sometimes it is possible to treat it others is is not) or alcoholism.

Well, I vote for MLC to be a medical condition. Of what type and to be place within which category not sure. It involves several things. mental health disorder? Hormonal disorder? Psychological disorder? All and some more?

Medicine, and sciences, and psychology are becoming more and more interdisciplinary, I see no reason the same not to happen to MLC.

[kikki]

I know we've talked about this on the forum before, but thought it might be timely to put this information here again.  Research has shown that men's testosterone levels, are on average, at the 25th percentile of what they were only 20 years ago. 
They believe this is due to lifestyle and environmental factors. 

Research is coming out now too, about how challenging the pill is for women, hormonally. 

I too would like to see MLC documented as a medical condition one day.  But personally, I don't believe medication to be a magic pill.  I believe if there is a 'cure', then it will be mitigation before a transition becomes a full blown crisis. 

Hormone levels vary greatly between person to person.  What is 'normal' for one, may not be for another. 
A huge drop in testosterone for someone, may not show on a blood test, because their huge drop may still see them in the medically considered normal range. 
Even though this is far from 'normal' for this particular person. 
So, monitoring of personal levels of hormones, may be an essential part of mitigating this in the future.   

[Thundarr]

I believe in the future we will have ways of monitoring our hormone levels at home, and we will have a great enough understanding of their effects that we will know to keep our levels balanced through either lifestyle or medicinal changes.  I also want to go on record as saying that the concept of cure for MLC is somewhat nonsensical as MLC as I see it is a result of the hormonal changes triggering several other biological responses.  Mitigation of the symptoms after the crisis has hit is feasible, but more importantly I can see crises being averted altogether through the prevention measures that seem now to be closer on the horizon.  And I think that should be our goal, to find a way to prevent the damage that is often already done at the time of BD and help both spouses avert the crisis.  Metaphor time again, but I conceptualize this as finding new technology to help ships navigate away from storms rather than improving shipwreck recovery methods.

[OldPilot]

I am fine with calling it an abnormality in the life process.  My main points are that MLC is not a specific medical condition and (perhaps therefore) there is no cure.

You're right, probably there is no cure.

CURE = TIME

Use it wisely!

[Thundarr]

I am fine with calling it an abnormality in the life process.  My main points are that MLC is not a specific medical condition and (perhaps therefore) there is no cure.

You're right, probably there is no cure.

CURE = TIME

Use it wisely!

Wait!  You just triggered a thought that we haven't discussed yet!  What if we could figure out what processes were involved in MLC and find a way to somehow speed them up?  We have ways of accelerating the growth of cancers so why not accelerate hormonal processes?  Just a thought....

[Anjae]

I believe in the future we will have ways of monitoring our hormone levels at home, and we will have a great enough understanding of their effects that we will know to keep our levels balanced through either lifestyle or medicinal changes.  I also want to go on record as saying that the concept of cure for MLC is somewhat nonsensical as MLC as I see it is a result of the hormonal changes triggering several other biological responses.  Mitigation of the symptoms after the crisis has hit is feasible, but more importantly I can see crises being averted altogether through the prevention measures that seem now to be closer on the horizon.  And I think that should be our goal, to find a way to prevent the damage that is often already done at the time of BD and help both spouses avert the crisis.

It makes sense. I've posted on one of my earlier post cure = mitigation.

CURE = TIME

Use it wisely!

Yes, time... would you be very upset if I tell you I've had enough of it? And it has not been used in a silly way. Still, and this may go against what we say, too much time can become exactly it, too much time.

Not for the crisis, but for the LBS. I think up until early 2011 I was up to work things out with Mr J despite it all. From then onwards, nope. All I want is a divorce and not to have to deal with MLC a minute more in my real life.

Since I know MLC does not end at Replay...well...

[Anjae]

Wait!  You just triggered a thought that we haven't discussed yet!  What if we could figure out what processes were involved in MLC and find a way to somehow speed them up?  We have ways of accelerating the growth of cancers so why not accelerate hormonal processes?  Just a thought....

Uhhh... what would be the difference between that and mitigate it? Mitigate it, the way I see it, means leveling the hormonal levels (and possibly brain chemicals). Once the levels were balanced the crisis would be mitigated/smoother.

One does not speed menopause, does one? We use several ways of mitigate it.

And, anyway, Thundarr, if an MLCer is already in Replay, how do we reach the person? Should we use a tranquilizer dark, and, with the MLCer a sleep, conduct blood and brain tests to see what they are in need of?

[OldPilot]

Anne although I wish you well with your divorce,
It will not end MLC, and I know many people still on the merry go round after divorce.

I  agree that I do not think we can speed up menopause.

Maybe we can get a pill that will make Thundarrs son an ADULT.