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Jun 23, 2005

"My friends are my estate.
" --Emily Dickinson

Friendship among Women

Up until recently is was generally believed that when people experienced stress, it triggered a hormonal cascade that sent the body into a flight or fight response. However a UCLA study now suggests that women respond to stress differently than men, with a calming release of the hormone oxytocin that causes them to make and maintain friendships with other women. Oxytocin release in the brain has also been shown to encourage the care of children, and reduce the probability of becoming sick.