Primate Grooming

My daughter, Gita, studies behavioral endocrinology in primates. Specifically, she studies the stress hormone (cortisol) and the bonding hormone (oxytocin) and how their levels in the body influence and are influenced by the primates' behavior. At least, that's what I think she studies. She might explain it quite differently!

The relevant part here is that one main way that primates bond with each other and help each other manage their stress levels is by grooming each other. They stroke and pick through each other's fur. Gita has had lots of opportunity to observe this behavior.

Macaques Grooming (public domain image)

As I am having ample opportunity to realize, cancer is a major source of stress. There's the pain caused by the cancer itself, there's the anxiety of waiting for the next round of chemo side effects, there's the wondering how much more I'll be able to do with my life, there's concern for my loved ones as they suffer alongside me, there's not being able to help my parents in their own ill health, ... and some other things I think about in the dark of the night sometimes but that I don't want to write down here.

Anxious stress is not only unpleasant but unhealthy. If I'm going to give my body the best chance to fight this cancer (and the best chance of not getting an autoimmune disease from the immunotherapy), I need to manage my stress.

Gita to the rescue! She correctly guessed that imitating the small strokes and picking action of primate grooming on my arms or scalp would be calming. It really is remarkably effective—the stress fades quickly and dramatically. I am therefore embracing my primatehood. Luckily Gita has yet to find any fleas on me!