{"slug":"cortisol-high-2","name":"High Cortisol","url":"/templates/cortisol-high-2.jpg","w":735,"h":447,"top":"","bottom":"","defaultClassicLayout":"twitter","description":"Make a High Cortisol meme. The same long-haired man now covers his mouth in horror as a cortisol gauge maxes out into the explosion zone, surrounded by crying emojis. Stress has won.","keywords":"high cortisol meme, cortisol meme, stressed meme, anxiety meme, cortisol gauge meme, stress meter meme, cortisol overload","year":2024,"origin":"The companion piece to the Low Cortisol meme, this version shows the same long-haired man in a state of complete distress. He covers his mouth while a cortisol gauge redlines past \"HIGH\" into what appears to be an explosion. Crying emojis surround his face. The cortisol meter format became a go-to reaction for when stress levels are measurably off the charts. For the peaceful version, see Low Cortisol. For the side-by-side comparison, see High vs Low Cortisol.","format":"classic","alternateFormats":[{"slug":"high-vs-low-cortisol","label":"High vs Low Comparison"},{"slug":"cortisol-high","label":"High Cortisol (Alt)"},{"slug":"cortisol-low","label":"Low Cortisol"},{"slug":"cortisol-low-2","label":"Low Cortisol (Alt)"}],"exampleCaptions":["CHECKING MY BANK ACCOUNT AFTER VACATION",""],"exampleAltText":"High Cortisol meme about checking your bank account after vacation","exampleRefreshDate":"2026-05-17","howToMake":["Select the High Cortisol template featuring the man in distress next to an exploding cortisol gauge","Type your top text describing what pushed cortisol levels into the danger zone","Bottom text is optional. The gauge explosion and crying emojis already communicate the severity","The baked-in cortisol meter visual makes this self-explanatory, so focus on the trigger scenario","Download and send to anyone who needs to know their stress has been validated"],"seo":{"aliases":["High Cortisol Gauge","Cortisol Overload Meme","Stress Meter Meme","Cortisol Explosion","Max Stress Meme","Cortisol Redline"],"description":"A man covers his mouth in visible distress as a cortisol gauge next to him maxes out past every safety threshold into a full explosion. The needle has gone through \"LOW,\" past \"MEDIUM,\" past \"HIGH,\" and into uncharted territory surrounded by fire and crying emojis. The entire right side of the image is engulfed in flames. This is not a stress level. This is a stress catastrophe with its own damage radius.","definition":"A stress reaction image featuring a man in distress next to an exploding cortisol gauge. The meter has redlined past \"HIGH\" into full explosion territory with crying emojis. Used when anxiety, stress, or bad news physically breaks the measurement scale.","useCases":[{"category":"Financial Stress","examples":["OPENING YOUR CREDIT CARD STATEMENT AFTER THE HOLIDAYS","WHEN YOUR CAR MAKES A NEW NOISE AND YOU JUST PAID OFF THE LAST REPAIR","CHECKING YOUR PORTFOLIO AFTER NOT LOOKING FOR A MONTH","WHEN THE CASHIER SAYS THE TOTAL AND IT'S DOUBLE WHAT YOU EXPECTED"]},{"category":"Work Panic","examples":["WHEN YOUR BOSS SAYS \"CAN WE TALK?\" WITH NO OTHER CONTEXT","REALIZING YOU HIT \"REPLY ALL\" ON THAT MESSAGE","OPENING YOUR INBOX AFTER A WEEK OF PTO","WHEN THE DEPLOYMENT BREAKS AND THE LEAD ENGINEER IS ON VACATION"]},{"category":"Social Anxiety","examples":["WHEN SOMEONE SAYS \"WE NEED TO TALK\" AND DOESN'T ELABORATE FOR 3 HOURS","SEEING YOUR EX AT THE GROCERY STORE WITH YOUR HAIR LOOKING LIKE THIS","WHEN THE PHONE RINGS AND IT'S AN ACTUAL PHONE CALL NOT A TEXT","BEING TOLD \"YOUR MICROPHONE WAS ON THE WHOLE TIME\""]},{"category":"Academic Dread","examples":["FINDING OUT THE EXAM WAS WORTH 40% OF YOUR GRADE","WHEN THE PROFESSOR SAYS \"I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE CLASS AVERAGE\"","SUBMITTING AN ASSIGNMENT AND IMMEDIATELY SPOTTING A TYPO IN YOUR NAME","CHECKING YOUR GRADE AND THE PAGE TAKES AN EXTRA 2 SECONDS TO LOAD"]}]}}