Stressor
Stressor
Stressor (/ˈstrɛsɔːr/) is a chemical or biological agent, environmental condition, external stimulus or an event that causes stress to an organism. Stressors are capable of producing both physical and psychological stress.
Etymology
The term "stressor" is derived from the word "stress", which originates from the Middle English "destresse", meaning "hardship" or "affliction". The suffix "-or" is used to denote an agent or something that performs a particular action.
Types of Stressors
Stressors can be classified into two broad categories: acute stressors and chronic stressors. Acute stressors are short-term events that can cause immediate stress, while chronic stressors are long-term situations that cause ongoing stress.
Acute Stressor
An acute stressor is a sudden event or situation that causes immediate stress. Examples include a car accident, a sudden illness, or a major life change such as a divorce or job loss.
Chronic Stressor
A chronic stressor is a long-term situation or condition that causes ongoing stress. Examples include poverty, a long-term illness, or ongoing problems at work or in a relationship.
Related Terms
- Stress: The body's method of reacting to a challenge or demand.
- Coping: The process of managing taxing circumstances, expending effort to solve personal and interpersonal problems, and seeking to master, minimize or tolerate stress or conflict.
- Resilience: The ability to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Stressor
- Wikipedia's article - Stressor
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