Most human stress studies have been done on male volunteers. Over and over they have shown that stress causes chemicals to be released into the blood, causing the “Fight or Flight” response.
Now, a similar study, using women volunteers has a much different finding. Women tend to befriend.
It seems we release a different set of stress hormones than men. Ours cause us to seek allies in the women around us and gather up our children. This is not to say we never mount a fight or flight response, but, it seems we have more choices than just fight or flight.
I’ve always known women were … never mind, that will just lead to grief. 
Doesn’t seem true in my case, thats for sure. Stress makes me want to avoid everyone I know.
I tend to be a little agoraphobic. But in the past week I have been feeling really down. Some events in my life have triggered a little bit of a change in my body chemistry and I could feel myself sinking into depression and anxity. All I wanted to do was sleep and try not to feel anything.
But the third Tuesday in each month I get together with eleven other girlfriends for the evening and I made myself go because I instinctively knew that their presence would be good for me. I didn’t have to pretend and they didn’t have to throw a pity party. They just fed me and made up outrageous stories and told bawdy jokes and let me win the pot.
Then they fussed at me for winning the pot because I won last time too.
There is a very dependable rhythm.