During a recent conversation with a therapist colleague, we found ourselves discussing the growing attention being paid to the idea of “irritable male syndrome” (IMS) and whether it represents anything resembling a true clinical condition. IMS, while not an officially recognized psychological diagnosis, is commonly described as a cluster of symptoms that includes irritability, anger, depression, fatigue, and reduced stress tolerance, often attributed to hormonal changes, chronic stress, or significant life transitions. Our conversation was punctuated with laughter. We agreed that one could easily drop the “irritable” and just call it “male syndrome.” As an often‑irritable aging man—and a therapist—I couldn’t help but scratch my rapidly thinning head. Is IMS simply a more palatable way of saying “grumpy old man”? Do we really need to medicalize something that may be a fairly predictable response to the accumulation of years, responsibilities, and losses? Are men destined to line up at their doctors’ offices seeking prescriptions for the dawning realization that aging is, in fact, happening? These questions are worth asking—not to dismiss the distress many men …