Experts Say Men Can Suffer Their Own Version Of Menopause Called “Irritable Male Syndrome”

The term “irritable male syndrome” (IMS) was coined in 2001 by Dr. Gerald Lincoln, a Scottish scientist known for his work in endocrinology and reproductive biology. He was researching testosterone levels in sheep when he observed a correlation between declining testosterone levels and increased irritability and aggression in rams after the mating season. He observed similar behaviors in other males when their testosterone levels dropped, eventually identifying the syndrome in red deer, reindeer, and even Indian elephants. 

As years passed, the term was picked up by psychologists and men’s health experts to describe similar emotional and behavioral patterns they were observing in human men, particularly in relation to age-related testosterone decline or stress-induced hormonal shifts.

Psychotherapist and author Dr. Jed Diamond has written the books Irritable Male Syndrome and Mister Mean: Saving Your Relationship From The Irritable Male Syndrome. He described IMS this way: “It’s a state of hypersensitivity, anxiety, frustration, and anger that occurs in males that’s associated with biochemical changes, hormonal fluctuations, stress, and loss of male identity. While it does usually occur in men later in life, I’ve seen men in their 20s or 30s, who have poor diets, high stress, and other factors, can also experience IMS.”

We react differently to this syndrome because it’s more likely to “sneak up” on those who have it and those who love them, said coaching psychologist James Davis. “The hormonal changes of women’s menopause happen in a relatively narrow window of time, but with age-related testosterone decline, it can be more of a ‘slow drip’ rather than a sudden moment. This means symptoms can often be passed off as being caused by aging, stress or a combination of both.” 

While hormonal changes might jump-start IMS, other factors can play a role, Davis said. “Those hormonal changes make men more anxious, which in turn can lead to irritability. There can be a crisis of self-identity that comes from declining physical performance, loss of muscle and lowered libido. When you overlay the stresses of managing a career, finances and relationships, plus the state of the world in general, you can see that many factors could make a man more irritable. Then add in broken sleep, a lack of experience or framework for expressing vulnerability or issues and increasing social isolation, and you can see how multiple factors can pile up to impact an individual.”

One man’s experience: