According to a study released in a recent article in BusinessWeek women are less happy and less healthy than they were 50 years ago. They are taking more medications to cope with their stress and depression. It seems women are here because they’re having a hard time balancing the life a “modern” woman is supposed to manage.

I don’t have to look far to see the proof of the study. I talk with women’s groups, my neighbors, friends, colleagues and the conversations are all the same. They’re all feeling overstressed. Between families, careers, t-ball practice, football and drama practice for the kids, providing support for your mom because your dad had a heart attack, being a shoulder to cry on for your friend whose marriage is falling apart, fulfilling all of the requirements for the multitudes of boards and volunteer committees…it’s no wonder women are having to find happiness through a pill!

Feminism didn’t fail us. Women should be able to feel equal to their male counterparts. But the Feminist Movement did fail us! The truth is women haven’t found a way to have it all without living with feelings of guilt, inadequacy and unhappiness. That’s not to say all women are unhappy. I’d say we’ve learned to adapt to the stress of our lives because that’s what women do. But I’m left to wonder if we haven’t achieved that happiness at a price?

I don’t have the answers. Just a lot of questions. Dialog is a good thing. Women need to find a way to cope in this world. And being unhappy and unhealthy just isn’t the answer.