This is interesting, and further "proof" to the paradigm shift that women and men react to stress in different ways. It was thought that the stress response, called "fight or flight", was the only way that both genders responded to stressful situations. Now, it seems as though the female gender may also respond to stress by "tending and befriending". Although tending/caregiving and befriending are reactions to stress, they can also be stress inducing activities in and of themselves (similar to fighting or fleeing).
Anyways, more to the point is that there is a great website for caregivers, and acknowledges the stress, as well as provides resources for those tending others: http://www.4woman.gov/faq/caregiver-stress.cfm#c
Comment Reply
This is interesting, and further "proof" to the paradigm shift that women and men react to stress in different ways. It was thought that the stress response, called "fight or flight", was the only way that both genders responded to stressful situations. Now, it seems as though the female gender may also respond to stress by "tending and befriending". Although tending/caregiving and befriending are reactions to stress, they can also be stress inducing activities in and of themselves (similar to fighting or fleeing).
Anyways, more to the point is that there is a great website for caregivers, and acknowledges the stress, as well as provides resources for those tending others: http://www.4woman.gov/faq/caregiver-stress.cfm#c
December 14, 2008 - 8:39amThis Comment
Reply