At times of stress, partners and fridge no longer first port of call for comfort!

Women are twice as likely to share their feelings online at times of stress, than burden their partner, according to new findings.

The poll, carried out by the new women’s online community, www.powderroomgraffiti.com, suggests that women are increasingly turning to the blogosphere to relieve stress.

58 per cent of respondents said that at difficult times, such as Christmas, they wrote more online, either by blogging, commenting or taking part in social networks. This compared with only 23 per cent who said they turned to their partners when things got on top of them.

18 per cent said they had even found themselves substituting writing for the more traditional stress relievers such as alcohol and comfort-eating.

“Our research would certainly indicate that the blogosphere has a real psychological benefit for some women and appears more effective than the more obvious stress relievers of alcohol or face-to-face exchanges with a close confidant.” said Diane Hayman, editor of Powder Room Graffiti.

She added: “Being encouraged to speak honestly is clearly very liberating for women. Since we launched Powder Room Graffiti, whose main aim is to give women a chance to tell it how it is, we’ve seen people share and debate the full gamut of subjects, many of which would be off-limits in a coffee morning setting or on the pages of a glossy magazine.”

Mel, who blogs as ‘PigInTheKitchen’ and is a regular contributor to PRG, said: "I get such a sense of release from writing my thoughts down and, the more stressed I get, the more I turn to my laptop. It's helpful that there are other women out there who also share their trials and tribulations and this drives a very strong sense of community. Blogging and writing is very therapeutic - it is my voice, in my space and it gives me back a sense of self where I am not just 'a mum' and 'a wife'."

The website is at www.powderroomgraffiti.com.