He says life is a bore
Your man once liked his job and was happy at home but now expresses restlessness and apathy. Instead of brushing his discontent aside, listen when he talks to you about his concerns. Encourage him to make minor changes like taking up a hobby as opposed to drowning his sorrows or moving to Bora Bora.
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You suspect he is having an affair
Unfortunately, doing the dirty is a common result of a male MLC. Psychologist, Jim Conway, says: "Midlife men "turn tender" and focus on people and feelings, but ironically some marriages suffer for it; men start affairs if their wives don't understand changes in them and communication breaks down."
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He is making impetuous decisions
If he unexpectedly jacks in his job or splurges on that red Ferrari he has always yearned for, he may be trying to make up for lost time or fix broken dreams. Have patience, try to understand why this career change or major purchase was important to him and then discuss the matter rationally.
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He is spending more time in front of the mirror
He notices a few little grey hairs and immediately thinks he's on his last legs. If your man has kicked up the vanity a notch and is obsessing over the development of wrinkles, simply stroke his bruised ego with lots of compliments and and he should eventually stop counting those crows feet.
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He has little interest in sex
If your lusty moves that once guaranteed nookie are now ignored, he might have lost his mojo. A mid-life crisis can create self-esteem issues and lethargy with sex becoming a burden. Keep lovin' light and fun to ease the pressure and try to get him to open up and find out why his va-va-voom has vamoosed.
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He's drinking too much
Boozy breath, bloodshot eyes and erratic behaviour indicate that your man could have a drinking problem. But he may have to deal with this problem on his own. "A wife can tell a husband that she disagrees with his actions, but she can't 'make' him stop his damaging behaviour," says Conway. "He has to be willing."
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He displays classic signs of depression
After difficult events such as being made redundant, you might notice him sleeping more, losing his appetite and developing malaise. Many men who suffer from depression think it "unmanly" to admit they feel blue but encourage him to seek counselling or, even better, go through therapy together.
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He is overly nostalgic
At midlife, some men start to ponder 'what if?'. He reminisces through rose tinted spectacles and fantasises about a make-believe world leaving kids, chores and bills behind. Don't worry though, this is one MLC sign that's harmless, unless he seems set on changing the past, which is of course impossible.
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He spends a fortune on a home gym
If you find a treadmill, cross-trainer and a weight bench littering your bedroom, he could be looking to shift his middle-aged spread. This is no bad thing, shifting the paunch and increasing fitness will boost his self-esteem, but perhaps encourage him to spend the money on a gym membership instead.
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You've found his supply of Grecian 2000
A hidden box of Just For Men indicates a desire to maintain youth by banishing grey hair. We know this because we dye ours for the same reason! Casually mention how much you fancy celebrity silver fox George Clooney and if he's worried about balding, drop hunky Bruce Willis into the conversation too.
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