8 Biggest Signs of Midlife Crisis for a Man and What Causes Them

The signs of midlife crisis for a man can sometimes catch him by surprise when he thinks he should be happiest. Here are the reasons for it.

They say a man’s life begins at forty. After all, it is a time where most men are settled down with a family, an established career, and a blissful retirement to look forward to. However, middle-age life may not be as idyllic as most would imagine because for some men, it is that time where the signs of midlife crisis for a man start knocking on their door.

Midlife crisis is an unpleasant phase in a man’s life. For most, it is a point where they feel they’ve spent all their youthful energy. They are on their way to the downward entropic spiral of old age. [Read: How to find yourself again after a low point in life]

What brings about midlife crisis for men?

Midlife crisis is brought on by a lot of factors. Initially thought to be brought on by aging. While age is a factor in experiencing midlife crisis, it is actually caused by a combination of changes in a man’s physical state, career, relationship with his partner, and his past experiences.

Midlife crisis usually happens to a man in his forties. But current studies show that it strikes as early as thirty-five or even creeping into his fifties.

#1 The physical signs of aging. One day, you notice that you catch your breath after going up a short flight of stairs. You’ll also notice the dad bod, greying hair and the receding hairline, along with decreasing stamina during sex. All these physical signs tell one story: you’ve passed the prime of youth and are on your way towards physical deterioration. [Read: Lazy things you do that are going to give you the perfect dad bod]

#2 Thoughts about his own mortality. Perhaps brought on by the death of a parent or sudden passing of a friend. Other times he experiences a close brush with death by suffering a mild stroke or diagnosed with something ominous. These alarm bells tell you death comes sooner or later. Time is running out for you to do the things that you want. [Read: Exercise benefits for your mind, body, and libido]

#3 Regrets on unfulfilled life goals. It is a fact that being an adult can be difficult. And it mostly takes its toll on a person’s dreams and goals. When dealing with responsibilities overtakes a man’s life, he has no choice but to put these plans and dreams aside.

The problems start when these unfulfilled dreams and goals haunt him. He thinks that he’s already too old, and it’s too late to be pursuing his goals.

#4 Feelings of inadequacy or uselessness brought by his age. At work, they pass promotions off to the younger guys because you’re not as tech-savvy or energetic. At home, your kids spend less time with you because your taste for recreational activities are kind of “boring.” These kinds of experiences make a man feel “left behind.”

Signs of a midlife crisis for a man

And like a disease, midlife crisis has symptoms that can be noticed through obvious changes in a man’s behavior, emotions, and interaction with his loved ones.

#1 Getting self-conscious about their appearance. They buy lots of “rejuvenating” products for their skin, get their hair dyed regularly, and consciousness about the way they dress are all signs of midlife crisis for a man, and a very clear sign he may be dealing with the reality of having passed his prime. They do all of these to fight back the obvious signs of aging and revert back to the “best look” of their prime.

When a man notices the physical signs of aging, he may become insecure and make efforts to try to slow down its effects. [Read: These are the steps to being attractive to women]

#2 Obsession with physical fitness. Normally, he just sits on the couch all day, but suddenly, he develops a fitness routine. Becoming obsessed with physical activity is also one of the big signs of midlife crisis for a man. It makes a statement to others that he can still do physical activities despite his age or working to preserve his healthy and/or body.

#3 Bouts of nostalgia in conversations. He always brings up the “good old days.” He frequently goes out on nostalgic pilgrimages to memorable places in order to reminisce the past. For men experiencing midlife crisis, the future is bleak and not worth looking forward to. Instead, they look back and savor the memories of the best years of their life.

#4 Depressive episodes. During a midlife crisis, a man’s emotional state is the most vulnerable. The feelings of inadequacy and regret towards his age make him prone to depressive episodes. He may have moments where he suddenly loses motivation to do the things he enjoys and disconnect from his social circle and family. [Read: How to deal with a depressed person in an honorable way]

#5 Desire to take up a new hobby. He suddenly decides to take up leather crafting. Then he gets tired of it and starts to build a craft brewery. After that, he joins ten other workshops for different types of hobbies.

Maybe he’s just bored, but this type of behavior could signal a midlife crisis. A sudden desire to take up new hobbies may be interpreted that he’s trying to look for a distraction from his current life and responsibilities.

#6 Impulsive behavior. Without consulting his partner or family, he suddenly decides to move to another state, spend life savings to buy a boat or a vintage car, or suddenly quit his job to start a business. When a man displays such impulsive behavior, he is undergoing midlife crisis.

Such decisions usually come from extreme dissatisfaction or boredom with their current life. He thinks that with these impulsive decisions, he still maintains control over his life. He’s not stuck waiting for retirement. [Read: 13 things men would end up doing in a midlife crisis]

#7 Loss of interest in the family. Initially, he’s a family man who spends time with the wife and kids. Nowadays his time is squeezed between work, his newfound hobbies, hanging out with old buddies, and a new fitness regime. He even barely sleeps with his wife anymore. When a man experiences a midlife crisis, he feels it less by distraction. [Read: The simple traits that make you an awesome dad]

#8 Grumpiness and hostility towards the family. During midlife crisis, a man blows up and vents his frustration towards his family. This may be seen as grumpiness or bouts of anger over little things. A man undergoing a midlife crisis may blame his family as a reason for getting stuck with unfulfilled dreams.

[Read: The traits of an insecure man that make people run from you]

The signs of midlife crisis for a man is characterized with regrets, nostalgia, and fear of inevitable physical degradation and mortality. If you’re seeing any of this in your life, have an internal dialogue and fix it, before you make your life feel worse.