Oxytocin Please?!

The past few days have been hell for me at work. Yesterday every single person I picked up lived in a building with no friggen elevator. Even though not one of them complained of leg pain or difficulty walking, I still had to follow protocol and not let them walk down stairs. Needless to say I was in quite a bit of pain when walking back into work last night, only to find that It was my turn to carry a special stretcher designed for patients up to 1500lbs. Yep, no rest for the weary. Oddly enough though, just about all my calls last night were for pediatrics. That certainly helped me balance out the extra weight of the stretcher so I didn't have to lift anymore than I've become used to.

The physical demands of my job can be quite bothersome, but for some reason the pain in my biceps and back don't compare to my emotional stress right now. I wont go into much detail now, but I will say that seeing a GA license plate on my street made me suddenly see hope. He always seems to appear when I need him the most. I'm seriously starting to show signs of withdrawal too. I came home to check for any new emails and oddly enough found the topic of hugs being discussed on MSN.

Talking when you should be touching
There’s more to communication than just using your mouth. Sometimes a simple touch takes us where words cannot go. Studies show that even a 20-second hug raises oxytocin levels in both men and women — oxytocin is the “cuddle hormone” — it helps us to feel calm and connected to our partner. According to the New Scientist, “Oxytocin also boosts trust, which is an important step in developing a loving relationship.” British scientist Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg and his team at the National Institute of Mental Health found that oxytocin release “reduced activity in the amygdala, a part of the brain that signals fear, and therefore helped them to bond to another person.”

So when words fail you, go for that 20-second hug. It may be just the fuel you need to fill up your tank for the relationship-road ahead.

So... that's it, I'm going through oxytocin withdrawal!