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Kavita Devgan

Many urban women are aware that they are too often rushed. But not many realise the damage that the `Hurried Woman Syndrome' can do to the body and mind.

It's called the Hurried Woman Syndrome (HWS) and more and more urban women appear to be suffering from it. The symptoms are easy to detect: constant feeling of tiredness, frequent mood swings, lack of sleep, problems in controlling weight and low sex drive. Although most urban women are aware that they are often rushed, they are not aware of what HWS is doing to their bodies and mind.

HWS mainly affects women between 25 and 55 years (usually with one or two children), when they are desperately trying to juggle a hectic work-life with an equally demanding home life, says US-based Dr Brent Bost, an obstetrician-gynaecologist and author of The Hurried Woman Syndrome. Bost claims that over 30 million women in the US suffer from HWS. Even in Britain, doctors say HWS is affecting a large number of the female workforce.

In India, urban women tackle similar pressures of home, office and other responsibilities. "High stress and anxiety levels, mild depression, physical exhaustion, digestive disorders, low sex drive, unnatural weight gain and low self-esteem are all indicators that something is not right," says Dr Manju Mehta, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, AIIMS, explaining the classic symptoms of HWS.

The root cause of HWS is chronic stress. "Stress varies from person to person. Sometimes, stress can't be avoided. However, in a majority of women, stress can be largely avoided or managed better. The avoidable stresses are those that often come from a busy, hectic schedule and lifestyle choices that people make," says Dr Avdesh Sharma, Director of Parivartan Centre For Mental Health, Hauz Khas, New Delhi.

Adds Dr Manju, "In a typical `hurried woman', "chronic stress can, over a period of time, even cause a chemical imbalance in the brain's serotonin-dopamine system. This causes fatigue, and often a vicious cycle starts — more fatigue causes more weight gain which causes more tiredness, lower libido, low self-esteem with more guilt, and the cycle continues." This condition is also described as a `pre-depression state', as the symptoms are similar to depression, though milder.

Doctors say it is unhealthy for people to accept their busy, stressful lives and not do anything about it. They warn that HWS can cause a lot of trouble. "If you stay forever hurried, you may neglect stress symptoms altogether. Stress can damage the heart, cause blood pressure problems and several other complications. In fact, on an average, stress-related problems account for at least one-third of medical problems. And another one-third is treated simply by controlling stress. This is more so in women, for as a group, they are more vulnerable to depression," says Dr Sharma.

Although oestrogen helps protect women from heart disease until menopause, a growing number of studies say stress can strip away that protection. A study conducted at the Wake Forest University's Baptist Medical Center says that anything that reduces oestrogen (and stress is a big culprit) puts women on a high-risk course for heart disease.

How does one prevent HWS from developing into clinical depression or causing any serious damage? "Any woman who exhibits HWS should see her doctor for a thorough check-up," says Dr Sharma, "but she also needs to examine her lifestyle."

Women are so adept at multi-tasking that they keep doing it without even realising the damage it is causing them. "Stop being a superwoman," he tells his patients. "Stop being in high gear, 24x7. Accept your limitations." Besides, he says, women must learn to say no. "Tell your husband he needs to help out with the dishes; don't do anything during your coffee break; exercise a bit and get off that drastic diet."

A few women have started doing all this. Says Sumiko Murgai Nanda, a fashion photographer, "I have two children, a hectic job and a taxing daily schedule. Thankfully, I realised early that if I didn't take care of myself, I would disintegrate. So I zealously guard my `time alone' and unfailingly schedule a `just-me-activity' every day. Usually I prefer to exercise alone. If that is not possible, I shut the door of my room and listen to some music or read a good book for a while. Even kids are not allowed in during my recharging time."

Dr Sharma adds: "Women need to make more time for themselves. They must also learn to delegate. They must weave in regular de-stressing rituals such as yoga classes, watching a film or having a massage. Women need to give themselves regular treats, look forward to them throughout the week and stick to them."

However, avoiding HWS does not mean giving up on one's ambitions. Dr Manju says every woman has a right to use her capabilities fully and reach for the stars.

"It's okay to aim to be a superwoman but only after you have equipped yourself with the necessary skills, like time management, anxiety management and ability to compartmentalise life." She says women must make life smoother for themselves and never forget that that their own wellbeing must be top of the list, not bottom.

Women's Feature Service

Picture by S.R. Raghunathan

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