Here’s The True Story Behind The Optical Illusion Used To Indicate Stress Levels

We’ve all heard of and experienced the dreaded S-word. Stress. Tough times at work, low marks in exams or even relationship troubles can cause it. In small doses, it is actually quite useful. But chronic stress can seriously affect mental as well as physical health. It is known to cause depression, heart diseases and fertility problems. Which is why it should never be self-diagnosed based on optical illusions on the internet.

What’s the fake news?

There’s an image of an optical illusion circulating on the internet. Reportedly created by Yamamoto, a Japanese neurology professor, it comes with the promise of decoding your stress levels.

this is actually tripping me out pic.twitter.com/st9PDwAXfU

— Aaron Wiseman (@awfficial) November 17, 2018

“If it’s not moving, or just moving a little, you are healthy and have slept well. If it’s moving slowly, you are a bit stressed or tired. If it’s moving continuously, you are over-stressed and might have mental problems.”

This test is NOT true.

According to BBC, the real owner of this image is Yurii Perepadia, a 50-year-old designer from Oleksandriya, Ukraine. The psychotherapist from Japan does NOT exist. Even though it is a still image, the viewer can see it in motion. It is a great optical illusion but does not in any way reveal the state of your mental health.

The real story behind the image

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I drew this optical illusion in Adobe Illustrator on September 26, 2016. To create it, I used the effect of Akioshi Kitaoka. This is a white and black stroke on a colored background, this is a white and black stroke on a colored background, which sets in motion the focus of vision and it seems to a person that the details of the image are moving. Japanese psychotherapist Yamamoto Hashima has nothing to do with this picture. Moreover, Yamamoto Hashima does not really exist. Google to help.
А теперь на русском.
Эту оптическую иллюзию я нарисовал в Адобе Иллюстраторе 26 сентября 2016 года. Для ее создания я использовал эффект Акиоши Китаока – это белая и черная обводка на цветном фоне, которая приводит в движение фокус зрения и человеку кажется что детали изображения движутся. Японский психотерапевт Ямамото Хашима не имеет никакого отношения к этой картинке. Более того, Ямамото Хашима не существует на самом деле. Погуглите ради интереса.

A post shared by Yurii Perepadia (@yuryfrom) on Nov 18, 2018 at 10:45am PST

The designer used Akioshi Kitaoka technique. His intention while making it was to draw an illusion. His caption further reiterates the fact that Yamamoto Hashima is not the real creator of this picture.

If you or anyone you know has been fooled by this fake news, do share the truth with them.