Researcher studies Irritable Male Syndrome

[Guest guest]

And why not?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.newsobserver.com/lifestyles/story/1864589p-8196843c.html

Researcher studies Irritable Male Syndrome

By MARK SCHWED, News Service

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. -- Killer mood swings. Hormones gone haywire.

Hair-trigger tempers. Uncontrollable crying. Bloating.

For eons, women have suffered the inconvenience, the indignation and the

pain of premenstrual syndrome -- PMS. They've put up with the jokes, the

mocking, the misunderstanding.

And no matter how much they tried to explain what they were feeling, men

just didn't get it.

Until, maybe, now.

Scientists studying herds of lusty rams in Scotland and a psychotherapist

surveying modern man in America have come up with a startling conclusion,

one that may have women dancing for joy.

Men get PMS-ish, too. Millions of men.

" It's payback time, " says Jed Diamond, a California psychotherapist for the

past 40 years and author of seven books, including the groundbreaking " Male

Menopause. " " Women aren't the only ones who have to deal with this. "

This is Irritable Male Syndrome, a condition that transforms normally

loving, caring men into absolute monsters.

IMS was coined by Dr. Gerald Lincoln of the Center for Reproductive Biology

in Edinburgh, Scotland, who studied herds of rams and found they became

nervous, irritable and depressed when their testosterone levels were

reduced. Other research has shown the same is true of humans.

But through interviews with hundreds of patients, a survey of nearly 10,000

males ranging in age from 10 to 70, and his own personal demons, Diamond

took it one step further. He maintains it's not just hormones, but

biochemical changes, stress and loss of male identity that bring on IMS in

humans.

Or so he claims in his latest book, " The Irritable Male Syndrome: Managing

the 4 Key Causes of Male Depression and Aggression " (Rodale).

It's no joke

According to Diamond, if you're a guy between puberty and senility, there's

a 30 percent chance you are already feeling the effects of IMS.

That translates to 30 million American males.

While women may be snickering, this is no joke. Serious cases of IMS can

lead to verbal abuse, physical violence, chronic depression, even suicide.

Everyone around the IMS man suffers: co-workers, family members, but

especially women, who tend to take the brunt of abuse.

" Men tend to act out their pain, " Diamond says. " They become angry, direct

it on women close to them. They blame, they shame, they tell them they have

the problem. "

As usual, women are the first to know if something is wrong.

" I feel like I have to walk on eggshells when I'm around him, " one woman

told Diamond.

" I never know when I'm going to say something that will set him off, " said

another.

" Nothing I do pleases him. "

For his part, the man may either withdraw or pounce. He believes the problem

is yours, not his, and can't understand why you're picking on him so much.

He may be impatient, hostile, demanding, frustrated and disconnected.

But is he just having a bad day or is it IMS? The key is whether there's

been a dramatic change and how long it lasts. If he used to be dreamy, but

has turned into a permanent nightmare, chances are it's IMS.

" If it's intense, if it's chronic, if it has a strong negative impact on a

person's functioning, we say this is something that needs to be attended

to, " Diamond says. " Fortunately, there's a lot that can be done about it. "

Angry? You bet!

Diamond knows this the hard way. Even before he knew what IMS was, he says

he had it. One of the most fascinating and revealing parts of his book is

where he details his own problems with his wife, Carlin. Like any good

therapist, he took notes.

" She tells me I'm being angry. Yeah, I guess I'm angry. Who wouldn't be,

with what I am forced to put up with? " he wrote. " When I try to talk to her

about it, she turns silent or walks away. She acts like she's afraid of me.

Is she nuts? I've never hit her. I've never even threatened her. ... Why

can't she see that I love her? All I want to do is be close again. "

And his wife took notes, too. " He's angry, accusing, argumentative and

blaming one moment, and the next moment he is buying me flowers and cards,

and leaving me loving notes. He'll change in an hour from looking daggers at

me to being all smiles and enthusiasm. "

Diamond says this is classic IMS. " This almost destroyed my marriage, " he

says. " Now it's wonderful again. "

Like PMS, IMS can be treated. And like serious PMS, it takes more than a hug

and a bowl of ice cream.

Diamond required therapy, marriage counseling and medication. But many men

can find relief the same way women suffering from PMS do: with proper diet,

exercise, rest and by cutting back on things like alcohol, caffeine and

sweets.

" Diet is important, " Diamond says. But if you're on the latest diet fad of

high protein and low carbs, you're not going to like what he suggests: lots

of complex carbs such as potatoes, grains, vegetables and fruits.

" If you don't eat good carbs, you're going to lower your seratonin levels --

the feel-good chemical for the brain -- and you're going to get depressed

and you'll want to eat more. You'll put on weight again and you'll feel

lousy. "

Diamond says the toughest part of IMS is convincing men to get help. There

are two ways to do this.

For some men, " If you keep the book and all the material away from them,

he'll start getting curious and want to check it out when you're not

looking, " Diamond says.

" The second approach is very direct. Tell him, 'The truth is, our marriage

is in trouble. I know I'm unhappy. I suspect you are. We need to get some

help.'

" My wife had to use the direct approach. She had to say, 'We're going down

the tubes.' "

[Guest guest]

I don't buy one word of this nonsense. This is just some guy trying

to sell a book. Men simply have different internal methods for

dealing with stress. While some may direct their " pain " towards

women close to them as the author states, I feel safe in saying that

the majority of us males find more intelligent ways to handle

stress. I would chalk it up to low intelligence, not another

contrived disorder. Sometimes we are silent to avoid a useless

argument. That doesn't mean we are mentally ill. It's usually best

to let sleeping dogs lie.

> And why not?

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

> http://www.newsobserver.com/lifestyles/story/1864589p-8196843c.html

>

> Researcher studies Irritable Male Syndrome

>

> By MARK SCHWED, News Service

>

> WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. -- Killer mood swings. Hormones gone haywire.

> Hair-trigger tempers. Uncontrollable crying. Bloating.

>

> For eons, women have suffered the inconvenience, the indignation

and the

> pain of premenstrual syndrome -- PMS. They've put up with the

jokes, the

> mocking, the misunderstanding.

>

> And no matter how much they tried to explain what they were

feeling, men

> just didn't get it.

>

> Until, maybe, now.

>

> Scientists studying herds of lusty rams in Scotland and a

psychotherapist

> surveying modern man in America have come up with a startling

conclusion,

> one that may have women dancing for joy.

>

> Men get PMS-ish, too. Millions of men.

>

> " It's payback time, " says Jed Diamond, a California psychotherapist

for the

> past 40 years and author of seven books, including the

groundbreaking " Male

> Menopause. " " Women aren't the only ones who have to deal with this. "

>

> This is Irritable Male Syndrome, a condition that transforms

normally

> loving, caring men into absolute monsters.

>

> IMS was coined by Dr. Gerald Lincoln of the Center for Reproductive

Biology

> in Edinburgh, Scotland, who studied herds of rams and found they

became

> nervous, irritable and depressed when their testosterone levels were

> reduced. Other research has shown the same is true of humans.

>

> But through interviews with hundreds of patients, a survey of

nearly 10,000

> males ranging in age from 10 to 70, and his own personal demons,

Diamond

> took it one step further. He maintains it's not just hormones, but

> biochemical changes, stress and loss of male identity that bring on

IMS in

> humans.

>

> Or so he claims in his latest book, " The Irritable Male Syndrome:

Managing

> the 4 Key Causes of Male Depression and Aggression " (Rodale).

>

> It's no joke

>

> According to Diamond, if you're a guy between puberty and senility,

there's

> a 30 percent chance you are already feeling the effects of IMS.

>

> That translates to 30 million American males.

>

> While women may be snickering, this is no joke. Serious cases of

IMS can

> lead to verbal abuse, physical violence, chronic depression, even

suicide.

> Everyone around the IMS man suffers: co-workers, family members, but

> especially women, who tend to take the brunt of abuse.

>

> " Men tend to act out their pain, " Diamond says. " They become angry,

direct

> it on women close to them. They blame, they shame, they tell them

they have

> the problem. "

>

> As usual, women are the first to know if something is wrong.

>

> " I feel like I have to walk on eggshells when I'm around him, " one

woman

> told Diamond.

>

> " I never know when I'm going to say something that will set him

off, " said

> another.

>

> " Nothing I do pleases him. "

>

> For his part, the man may either withdraw or pounce. He believes

the problem

> is yours, not his, and can't understand why you're picking on him

so much.

> He may be impatient, hostile, demanding, frustrated and

disconnected.

>

> But is he just having a bad day or is it IMS? The key is whether

there's

> been a dramatic change and how long it lasts. If he used to be

dreamy, but

> has turned into a permanent nightmare, chances are it's IMS.

>

> " If it's intense, if it's chronic, if it has a strong negative

impact on a

> person's functioning, we say this is something that needs to be

attended

> to, " Diamond says. " Fortunately, there's a lot that can be done

about it. "

>

> Angry? You bet!

>

> Diamond knows this the hard way. Even before he knew what IMS was,

he says

> he had it. One of the most fascinating and revealing parts of his

book is

> where he details his own problems with his wife, Carlin. Like any

good

> therapist, he took notes.

>

> " She tells me I'm being angry. Yeah, I guess I'm angry. Who

wouldn't be,

> with what I am forced to put up with? " he wrote. " When I try to

talk to her

> about it, she turns silent or walks away. She acts like she's

afraid of me.

> Is she nuts? I've never hit her. I've never even threatened

her. ... Why

> can't she see that I love her? All I want to do is be close again. "

>

> And his wife took notes, too. " He's angry, accusing, argumentative

and

> blaming one moment, and the next moment he is buying me flowers and

cards,

> and leaving me loving notes. He'll change in an hour from looking

daggers at

> me to being all smiles and enthusiasm. "

>

> Diamond says this is classic IMS. " This almost destroyed my

marriage, " he

> says. " Now it's wonderful again. "

>

> Like PMS, IMS can be treated. And like serious PMS, it takes more

than a hug

> and a bowl of ice cream.

>

> Diamond required therapy, marriage counseling and medication. But

many men

> can find relief the same way women suffering from PMS do: with

proper diet,

> exercise, rest and by cutting back on things like alcohol, caffeine

and

> sweets.

>

> " Diet is important, " Diamond says. But if you're on the latest diet

fad of

> high protein and low carbs, you're not going to like what he

suggests: lots

> of complex carbs such as potatoes, grains, vegetables and fruits.

>

> " If you don't eat good carbs, you're going to lower your seratonin

levels --

> the feel-good chemical for the brain -- and you're going to get

depressed

> and you'll want to eat more. You'll put on weight again and you'll

feel

> lousy. "

>

> Diamond says the toughest part of IMS is convincing men to get

help. There

> are two ways to do this.

>

> For some men, " If you keep the book and all the material away from

them,

> he'll start getting curious and want to check it out when you're not

> looking, " Diamond says.

>

> " The second approach is very direct. Tell him, 'The truth is, our

marriage

> is in trouble. I know I'm unhappy. I suspect you are. We need to

get some

> help.'

>

> " My wife had to use the direct approach. She had to say, 'We're

going down

> the tubes.' "

[Guest guest]

I agree with you in general, but would respectfully suggest that there

is no reason why men should not be *hormonally challenged*....

Love, light and peace,

Sue

" It is not unfair to conclude that medicine is the only branch of science

that has based its structure on opinions and suppositions rather than on

laws and principles. " - Vithoulkas, " The Science of Homoeopathy " .

>

> I don't buy one word of this nonsense. This is just some guy trying

> to sell a book. Men simply have different internal methods for

> dealing with stress. While some may direct their " pain " towards

> women close to them as the author states, I feel safe in saying that

> the majority of us males find more intelligent ways to handle

> stress. I would chalk it up to low intelligence, not another

> contrived disorder. Sometimes we are silent to avoid a useless

> argument. That doesn't mean we are mentally ill. It's usually best

> to let sleeping dogs lie.

> > And why not?

> >

> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> >

> > http://www.newsobserver.com/lifestyles/story/1864589p-8196843c.html

> >

> > Researcher studies Irritable Male Syndrome

> >

> > By MARK SCHWED, News Service

> >

> > WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. -- Killer mood swings. Hormones gone haywire.

> > Hair-trigger tempers. Uncontrollable crying. Bloating.

> >

> > For eons, women have suffered the inconvenience, the indignation

> and the

> > pain of premenstrual syndrome -- PMS. They've put up with the

> jokes, the

> > mocking, the misunderstanding.

> >

>