There is an expression: When octopus is stressed it eats itself. This is actually true. Octopuses can sometimes suffer from autophagy, or self-cannibalism. That is what is described as “eating its own arms.” This is caused by stress. A stressed animal is not a healthy animal and is open to infection.
When octopus get angry it also tends to become red. This phenomenon reminds me of human behavior a lot.
It reminds me of the time back then when I was student. Exams were very stressful for me, especially written ones. During the exams I was biting my own cheeks from inside all the time. That bad habit got me a serious mouth infection that took almost a month and a box of antibiotics to heal it. I have seen a lot of people harming themselves literally like I did back then in stressful situations, the same way octopus does.
But in this article I used the phrase ”When octopus is stressed it eats itself ”
metaphorically. Unfortunately the truth is that there are a number of ways chronic stress can actually kill you. It is medically proven thanks to the increased levels of cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone.
According to Wikipedia, elevated cortisol levels interfere with learning and memory, lower immune function and bone density, and increase blood pressure, cholesterol and heart disease. For all the above reasons, please do your best to avoid stress as much as you can.
Both chronic stress and stress-related disorders, such as anxiety and depression, increase the risk for heart disease, although scientists are not entirely sure why. The shock of sudden, intense stress, such as the death of a partner, can rapidly weaken the heart, possibly because of a surge of stress hormones.
According to the Center for Disease Control of National Institute on Occupational Safety & Health, the workplace is the number one cause of life stress. The CDC reports 110 million people die every year as a direct result of stress. That is seven people every 2 seconds.
I’m not writing this to stress you even more. My intention is to raise awareness regarding the stress that is called the mass disorder of the 21st century.
Take care of yourself in a stressed out world. Try to find that corner of peacefulness where you can retreat to in order to recharge your batteries.
Take vacations regularly – even if it means just taking a half day off from work to do something relaxing or fun. Or just relax and do almost nothing on your free day. It could also mean to find the time to do things you enjoy doing, with the people you love.
Learn what makes you stressed and learn what your body needs to balance itself during stressful situations. The basic principles of dealing with stress are the same principles that people facing life-threatening illnesses or serious life issues have found to get them through tough times.
These principles are positive thinking, healthy nutrition, having a good rest, a good night sleep, enjoy outdoor activities, relaxing, and surrounding yourself with positive people.
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