[Mitzpah]

CK, you have described almost exactly what has been going on in my marriage. H. is still at the stage where he avoids any kind of contact that might lead to 'other things' and if pressured, says that he can't find it in him to be attracted to me anymore. I believe that the physical feeds the psychological and vice versa, it is a vicious circle and that his MLC was triggered in no little way by this. He told me, at bomb drop, that he thought that I had no more interest in him sexually, which I vigorously denied and later wrote a very explicit e-mail about my feelings in that area. I think he needed an excuse for himself. He takes beta-blockers for a chronic cardiomyopathy and also was on anti depressants for some time (not any more), he has reduced the heart medication at his doctor's advice, but that seems to have made no difference (at least between us!) and I think that his heart (physical!) is not really relishing the reduction in the meds. This is a very big part of our marriage and it saddens me that he has to go through this and is not really able to look at it objectively (i.e. investigate more thoroughly the reasons). He refuses to accept that there is something amiss with him, it is ALL my fault.

[LifeGoesOn]

Anyway, has it really been a diagnosed hormone thing for anyone we know, or is the depression something that just resolves with time?

I think the hormonal changes are just one aspect that make up the "perfect storm" of MLC. From personal experience, low testosterone has has a big impact on H. He was turning into a pubescent girl, physically AND emotionally. Boobs, door slamming, and snits...the whole thing! He is now progressing through his teen years on an emotional level....something he skipped back then. He went from a 14 year old boy to a man with adult responsibilities in a day...  Covert depression is helping him cope with all those issues rather than face it all at once. He will have to address all of the aspects of the storm, it takes timmmmmeeeeeee..........JMHO....

[OldPilot]

Covert depression will likely play into overt depression.  Hormones are something that  can drive someone with an undiagnosed depression into something larger.  Midlife stresses the weakest parts of the body and  will make whatever is bad get worse!.

I notice it myself with pulled muscles in my calves, weak shoulders. Eyesight getting worse.  Those are my weak points.
Some people get cancer at midlife.

we all have weaknesses in out body and midlife will exploit them.