The Hurried Woman Syndrome: Seven Steps to Getting Your Life Back

Here's another "disorder" that didn't exist in your grandmother's day. Gynecologist Brent Bost has dubbed "the hurried woman syndrome" a problem he says affects 30 million Americans: a stress-induced combination of "fatigue, moodiness, weight gain, and low libido." He uses the term interchangeably with "pre-depression," as these symptoms often spiral the sufferer into clinical depression.

Bost touts the benefits of regulating women's neurotransmitters, and doesn't hesitate to recommend pharmaceutical assistance, primarily through prescription pills such as Zoloft and Wellbutrin. One could regret that he doesn’t urge readers to seak therapy in conjunction with such pills; after all, he does admit feeling like a "gynechiatrist," since so many of his patients reveal their relationship troubles to him.

Bost says his 7-step approach for boosting vitality and health teaches "cognitive-behavioral coping strategies"; in other words, he hopes to help readers eradicate negative thinking. By thinking more positively, and (best of all) learning to make a heathy use if the word "no", he says women can minimize the effects of stress on their bodies, helping to regain their sense of joy and self-esteem.--Erica Jorgensen