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After a strange and confusing conversations with a couple of co-workers recently, I decided to do some research. The co-workers wanted to know why I was being so "moody." I wanted to know what they were talking about, since, in my view, my moods hasn't changed since 1988.

My research took me to a 2005 article in the Independent that talks about Irratable Male Syndrome. The chief symptom of IMS is mood swing, according to psychotherapist Jed Diamond, of California. The article outlined symtoms that might indicate you have IMS. Naturally, after these confusing conversations with my co-workers, I was excited (is tha a mood swing) to see if I had this. Here are some of the symptoms:

* You feel angry, frustrated or anxious without any obvious cause. (Well, I'm anxious. But what's causing the anxiety is this quest to find out if I am moody.)

* You feel sad or depressed without any obvious cause. (I haven't been sad since my grandmother passed away in 2007. I haven't been depressed since 1998. And in both cases, I had good cause.).

* You are unusually aggressive - when driving, say, or playing games or sports. (I am never aggressive when driving. I am always aggressive when playing games or sports, and have always been, and probably will always be. I am super competitive. I don't think that would qualify as a mood swing.)

* You are tired all the time, without doing anything physically exhausting. (I'm sometimes tired, but I workout four times a week, and typically run at least 15 miles a week. But I'm definitely not tired all the time. No more than anybody else who has to work this schedule.)

* Your mood swings are straining your relationships. (My personality strains my relationships.)

* You are told that you are becoming more difficult to live with, but can't see that anything has changed. (I live alone.)

* You are bored by things or activities that you used to find interesting. (I'm bored by most things...but this isn't a new development.)

* You've gone off sex. (Why would someone do that?)

* You are smoking or drinking more. (I don't drink any more. I don't drink any less. I last puffed a cigarette September 1, 2004.)

* All or any of these symptoms have come on recently. You haven't always been like this. (That's the point I tried to make to my co-workers...anything that you are identifying as "moody" has always been there. I haven't changed at all.)

In his book, Irritable Male Syndrome, Dr. Diamond talks about men who are hypersensetive, frustrated and angry. As I said to one of my co-workers, "what do I have to be angry about?" I have one of the coolest jobs in America, where I have more fun than I've ever had at work. I have great friends. I have a couple of pennies stashed away under the mattress, and the New York Football Giants just won the Superbowl.

At various points during the day I will laugh at a joke, engage in a debate, comment about a story or needle a co-worker...just like I've always done. Is that moody?

erniefreeman's Blog

Men: Sad, Happy, Angry...Moody

erniefreeman

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