Through a crisis, women tend to turn to their girlfriends. Why is this? What is the significance of friendship between women?
Women thrive on strong female friendships. They help us, they listen to us, and they are there for us in a crisis. You may not be a girlie girl, and perhaps you have a few close girlfriends or even just one confidant. Or you could be someone with lots of female friends who you spend considerable time with. Whether you are single, married, divorced or in a relationship your female friendships will feature somewhere in your life.
Girlfriends have a specific way of unconsiously understanding each other. They feel it, and know when to step in, support and how to listen in the right way. There is even science behind it. It is believed women (perhaps more than men) need these friendships. These female friendships release oxytocin and seratonin, bonding hormones. You can read more on the science bit here.
I am a mother of two daughters and I see it with them too. The social groups and friendships they form as they grow up are wonderful to observe. You see how though the teen years we test friendships as women and learn who we can and cannot trust. It is a process of identifying who is in your girl tribe.
Overall, and speaking from personal experience, the friendship I have from my girlfiends makes me feel better. I will share good news, and laugh about funny things that have happened, and if I need to let off steam and have a rant, I know exactly who I will call. There are probably different people you call for different things. I have a couple of girlfriends I call when I am sad, and I know a bought of tears down the phone will mean I feel better within minutes. The advice those girls give is second to none, it ALWAYS helps and on occasion they have been straight over with a bottle of wine.