Affair Handbook

People have affairs for a myriad of reasons. The obvious ones are because they’re not satisfied with their marriage and are looking for a woman to fulfill their needs where their wife falls short. There are however, many cases where men commit adultery simply because they feel that it is the best way to slow down aging (or at least their perception of aging).
 

What Studies Show

There was a study that was recently conducted which showed that people may be more inclined to have an affair based on their age. More specifically it found that that people whose age ended in a ‘9’ (e.g. 49) were more likely to have an extramarital relationship. The study found that men whose age ended in a 9 were, “18% higher than what would be expected by chance”. The logic behind this was that people who were approaching a new milestone birthday such as 40 felt that perhaps they were missing out on something in their life. While this is an interesting phenomenon, it is people of all ages who have affairs, not just those whose age ends in a 9. What this study does show though is that age is indeed a critical factor for men having affairs. In the case of men who are having a midlife crisis, they are in the same boat as those people who are approaching a milestone birthday. Therefore, they may be more likely to have an affair to make up for what they perceive as advanced aging.
 

A Man’s Midlife Crisis

While many reject the notion of a midlife crisis altogether, it is fair to say that when men reach a certain age (usually their mid-40’s) they begin to change their outlook on life. They are coming ever closer to death, retirement is around the corner, kids are running around the house etc. This period of time can bring about a lot of emotional stress and existential thoughts into a man’s head.
 

What Middle-Aged Men are Looking For

To further understand the possibility of men who are having a midlife crisis and contemplating affairs, it is important to understand what these men are looking for. Many of these men can’t accept their current age and want to do everything to prove to themselves that they are indeed young. This may often include buying clothes or cars to compensate for this age. Oftentimes men do more than just buy material goods—they want a younger woman. How is a man who can’t come to terms with his age supposed to accept his spouse who is just as old as he is? Men will always crave younger, more attractive woman and a midlife crisis often brings that reality to life. Again, there are many reasons many enter into extramarital affairs. One of them is for validation, and by dating a younger, more attractive women he tries to convince himself that he is worth more than he thinks he is.
 

Affairs Are a Break from Monotony

By the time a man hits his 40’s he has likely been married for a decade or two, and has had the same job for that period of time. Having the same routine day in and day out for such a long time is enough to drive any man over the edge. A lot of men simply can’t take this monotony, and they seek out an affair. Even into a man’s 40’s there is still a lot of opportunity for change and growth. However, the idea of having extramarital relations with a pretty young woman seems to be more appealing than a promotion at work or picking up a new hobby. On top of this monotony, it is likely that things have slowed down in the bedroom. Both the male and female sex drive begin to decline in middle age. And to make matters worse, sex becomes stale and routine. Affairs are a means of rejuvenating a man’s sex life and making him feel younger.
 

It’s One Last Risk to Take

By the time a man is 40’s he will only be able to reminisce about the debauchery in his past. Old age is fast approaching and middle age offers the opportunity for one final ‘hoorah’. Men in middle age can no longer party as hard, or run as fast as they used to. Because of these physical limitations, their mind craves risk taking in other ways. Having an affair is one of the riskiest things a man can do. Logically affairs are not a good idea, however, risks never are. Men simply let their emotions take a hold of them and are oftentimes driven towards extramarital affairs to fulfill this burning desire from within. As one can see, there are certain factors such as a desire for taking risks, validation, and rejuvenation of sorts that cause men to seek out affairs. Men going through a midlife crisis are most likely to experience these factors, which makes them prime candidates for having affairs.