Superwoman Syndrome to blame for rates of drug abuse among women

In one of my favorite episodes of Desperate Housewives, one of the moms (the mother of three boys) starts taking one of her kiddo’s ADHD prescription to give her much needed energy to get through the day.
I can’t have been the only mom n American who wondered how to get my hands on some of it.
According to a recent study, more women are figuring it out. In fact, almost 6 percent of American women, that's 7.5 million adult women, report using prescription medicines for a boost of energy, a dose of calm or other non-medical reasons, according to the latest numbers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
"Many may not consider what they're doing abuse because they're using a prescribed drug," says Susan R.B. Weiss, chief of NIDA's Science Policy Branch. "Many of these medications are being taken as performance-enhancers."
Who’s to blame here? A crappy economy with women working multiple jobs or long hours to put food on the table? A schedule that could run the most athletic Olympian ragged in a matter of days? Overly high expectations by the women themselves?
In one survey, 29 percent of U.S. women admitted to sharing or borrowing somebody else's prescription drugs in their lifetime. This study, published in the Journal of Women's Health, found the rate of borrowing was highest among women ages 18 to 44.
If you’re “borrowing” drugs from friends or family members, or you suspect you may be abusing prescription drugs, get help now. It is illegal, and you can go to jail.