I WAS recently told that when a man reaches the age of 40 he begins to ‘lose it’ a little.

I have known a few people who closed in on this age so I wouldn’t disagree with that statement at all. In the past few months there are several people I know who are slowly ‘losing the plot’. I guess it is my turn.

When it comes to men this has much to do with how they begin to handle pressure.

We men do not handle pressure very well.

This is not the type of pressure which calls for converting a penalty deep into injury time against your bitter rivals or the pressure of leading a country out of a double dip recession.

This pressure has to do with the minor things that to a woman would seem second nature.

I, for instance have a system. I like to know I have everything in specific places and do things at specific times. This would make me boring to some, but I need this regimented system so I can function.

If my toothbrush is not where I put it the night before or someone has used my shower gel I am not a happy person.

Also the tea mug must be the same tea mug I used before and the T-shirt I wear must have the right amount of stains on it.

These things bother the modern man.

All this other stuff that someone in their right mind would call ‘pressure’…these are insignificant and part of life.

I would say there are some of us who function better in a crisis than a little drama. Not sure if that sentence makes sense but it does to those men approaching 40.

The point is that all these minor issues begin to bother a man when he hits that four decades mark.

They come to the fore more often than not because you are surrounded by more people who are likely to upset the system.

So, if you are accused of ‘losing it’ – don’t worry. At least you had something to lose in the first place.