Experts spoke about the impact of the "Patrick syndrome" on men's health
Chronic stress and a constant feeling of financial insolvency ("Patrick's syndrome") can negatively affect not only a man's psychological state, but also his hormonal background. Prolonged nervous tension can reduce testosterone levels, and social expectations and societal pressures often become an additional source of anxiety. All the details are in the Izvestia article.
The mechanism of stress influence
Olga Ulankina, Candidate of Medical Sciences, expert doctor at the Hemotest Laboratory, explained that prolonged psychological pressure can indeed lead to a decrease in testosterone levels. Moreover, such changes can occur not only in men of mature age, but also in young people.
According to the expert, the interaction of cortisol and testosterone plays a key role. During stress, the adrenal glands actively produce cortisol, a hormone that triggers the body's "fight or flight" response. In the short term, such a reaction is useful: pressure increases, concentration increases, muscles prepare for exercise. However, with chronic stress caused by financial problems, emotional burnout, toxic relationships, or a constant sense of failure, cortisol levels remain elevated for weeks or even months.
"And cortisol and testosterone are in a kind of antagonism: the more of one, the less of the other. The body, engaged in survival, postpones the functions of growth, reproduction and maintenance of muscle mass — all that testosterone is responsible for," Olga Ulankina said.
The doctor notes that single stressful situations — an exam, an interview, or a public appearance — usually do not lead to serious consequences. After the end of the emotional stress, the hormonal background quickly recovers. The real danger is chronic stress, especially if a person has not seen a way out of the current situation for months and feels helpless. However, in most cases, such changes are reversible: after eliminating the source of stress, hormone levels gradually return to normal.
Symptoms and related factors
If testosterone decreases precisely against the background of chronic stress, the symptoms often combine signs of hormonal imbalance and anxiety-depressive disorders.
Physical manifestations include decreased libido and morning erections, decreased muscle mass, accumulation of fat mainly in the abdominal area, constant fatigue and decreased endurance. At the same time, psychological symptoms appear: irritability, apathy, deterioration of memory and concentration, loss of motivation and a sense of vitality. A person wakes up tired and feels overwhelmed even after a relatively calm day.
At the same time, Olga Ulankina emphasizes that stress is far from the only reason for a decrease in testosterone levels. According to the specialist, endocrinologists always assess the situation comprehensively. The hormonal background is affected by obesity, poor sleep quality, age-related changes after 30-35 years, vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies, bad habits and dietary habits.
In addition, the cause can be serious diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, thyroid disorders, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, testicular diseases, the effects of injury, certain genetic syndromes, as well as taking a number of medications, including glucocorticoids, opioids and some antifungal and antiepileptic drugs.
To correct the condition, the expert recommends, first of all, normalize sleep and nutrition, ensure regular physical activity and reduce the level of chronic stress.
Strength training is especially useful, which stimulates the natural production of testosterone, as well as cardio exercises that help control body weight. There should be enough protein and healthy fats in the diet, since it is from cholesterol that steroid hormones are synthesized. Zinc, magnesium and vitamin D play an important role, the deficiency of which is also associated with a decrease in androgen levels.
If you cannot cope with emotional stress on your own, the doctor advises you to consult a psychologist. If alarming symptoms appear, the examination should begin with a visit to a therapist, who will prescribe the necessary tests and, if necessary, refer them to specialized specialists.
The essence of the "Patrick syndrome"
Clinical psychologist Anastasia Helemelya notes that the so-called "Patrick's syndrome" is not a medical diagnosis. This is a socio-psychological construct in which a man begins to perceive himself solely as a family support function.
According to the expert, such a model is formed under the influence of gender attitudes, which since childhood convey to boys the idea of the need to be the main breadwinner. Gradually, self-esteem begins to depend entirely on the level of income.
"Financial success becomes a measure of value due to internal scarcity: if you take away income, a man doesn't know what else to love and respect himself for. This is the root of the problem," Anastasia Helemelya said.
The psychologist emphasizes that the constant need to meet the expectations of others leads to depletion of emotional resources and increases the risk of anxiety and depression. At the same time, the shame of income level is not so much related to money as to the fear of rejection.
According to the expert, it is possible to distinguish healthy motivation from toxic motivation by emotional reaction. If thoughts of earning money cause great anxiety, and work becomes a way to get rid of fear, we are no longer talking about striving for development, but about a constant attempt to compensate for internal tension.
The expert recommends discussing financial issues with a partner calmly, without mutual accusations and threats, shifting the conversation to the plane of common family goals, rather than assessing everyone's personal worth.
Economic factors of anxiety
Ahmed Yusupov, a partner at the Goldman and Poe communications agency, notes that the feeling of financial well-being is not only based on salary. The inner sense of stability is influenced by expenses, the cost of housing, mortgages, loans, the level of debt burden, as well as a habitual lifestyle. According to the expert, in recent years, the cost of a comfortable life has increased significantly not only due to inflation, but also due to a change in the very concepts of what is considered a normal level of consumption.
This is especially acute for young families who simultaneously have to pay for housing, children's education, medical services and daily expenses with relatively low starting incomes.
"Social media is becoming an additional source of stress. They form a distorted view of a successful life, where a high level of income is perceived as a mandatory norm. When the real financial situation does not correspond to this image, a person experiences a chronic feeling of dissatisfaction, even if his objective income remains stable," the expert explained.
Yusupov also draws attention to the contradiction between the traditional male breadwinner model and modern economic realities. Today, the financial burden is increasingly distributed between both spouses, but public expectations continue to require men to take full responsibility for the financial well-being of the family, which creates additional psychological pressure.
To reduce financial anxiety, experts recommend keeping records of income and expenses, forming a reserve fund, setting specific financial goals and consciously approaching consumption, separating real needs from those imposed by advertising and social networks. According to psychologists, combining financial discipline with caring for one's own emotional state can significantly reduce the level of chronic stress and preserve both psychological and physical health.
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