Grumpy old man

"Grumpy old man" is an idiomatic phrase that usually refers to an elderly male perceived to be crusty, irascible, or cantankerous. A change in personality may result from so-called male menopause or Irritable Male Syndrome due to hormonal changes later in life.

Identification

Identifying grumpy old men is somewhat difficult, as the signs may differ between person to person and cross-cultraully. Typically, the image of a grumpy old man is someone who is 50-years-old and older, with lost muscle tone, gained body weight, and "hair-trigger" sensitve irritablity.

The irritability can sometimes manifest into extreme behavioural responses. Either these men become completely removed from society and live outside of the rest of the world and its problems. Or on the other hand, some may become embroiled in neighbourhood disputes over often trivial matters. The major concern is when these disputes reach a peak where violence or murder may result. The archtypical dispute may start over an issue such as noise and escalate due to the persistent complaining and aggressive behaviour of the grumpy old man.

Treatment

Due to the diverse nature of the behavioural response of the grumpy old man, there is little adequate advice as to how to deal with the person.

Success in dealing with the grumpy old man may lie in understanding why the behaviour is occurring and keep communicating with the person. Pandering to their complaints is not recommended as there may not be a solution satisfactory to all parties that is not detrimental to others. Often there is an increase in the volume of complaints if the grumpy old man gains a perceived advantage. Searching for solutions where both parties achieve their aims is difficult because of the aggressive nature of the condition.

Treating the condition with anti-depressants may not achieve satisfactory outcomes. Testosterone replacement therapy may be a successful solution, but often the grumpy old men do not seek treatment.