Some people have even suggested we should snort oxytocin... to become more compassionate and caring.
But here's what most people don't understand about oxytocin. It's a stress hormone.
Your pituitary gland pumps this stuff out as part of the stress response.
It's as much a part of your stress response as the adrenaline that makes your heart pound.
And when oxytocin is released in the stress response, it is motivating you to seek support.
Your biological stress response is nudging you to tell someone how you feel, instead of bottling it up.
Your stress response wants to make sure you notice when someone else in your life is struggling so that you can support each other.
When life is difficult, your stress response wants you to be surrounded by people who care about you.
Okay, so how is knowing this side of stress going to make you healthier?
Well, oxytocin doesn't only act on your brain.