Sources Of Stressors

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Sources Of Stressors
Stressors, or the sources of stress, come in many guises, including physical and psychological; past, present and future; positive and negative; and acute and chronic.

Physical And Psychological Stressors:
Physical stressors include everything from lack of sleep to invasive surgery. The more common psychological stressors include conditions that evoke negative emotions, such as hate, anger, sadness and fear.

Past, Present And Future Stressors:
Past stressors include those that occurred in the past — for example, a traumatic childhood experience — and continue to exert pressure in the present. Present stressors include things such as the challenge of meeting an immediate deadline or sales quota. And future stressors include things that have not yet occurred but that we worry about anyway, such as tax day.

Positive And Negative Stressors:
Positive stress is the stress that occurs as a result of something that is primarily positive, such as a promotion or getting married. Negative stress relates to events most people would agree are harmful or negative.

Acute And Chronic Stressors:
Acute stress usually comes on suddenly and lasts for a relatively short time. For example, when your child-care provider calls in sick on the day you're scheduled to make a big presentation, or when your car breaks down on the expressway.

Chronic stress, on the other hand, seems never to go away. It may vary from a bad commute to work to bigger problems, such as being in an unhappy relationship, being stuck in an unsatisfying job or being unable to get out of poverty. Chronic stress may also arise from traumatic childhood experiences that leave scars, internally if not externally.

Far more damaging than acute stress, chronic stress presents potential dangers because it can wear you down in time physically and psychologically. When it lasts for a long time, people often assume they must learn to live with it rather than trying to improve it. Addressing the core problem or learning how to cope may help you avoid or reduce the damaging side effects of stress.


Last updated July 31, 2003

The Stress Scale

Although individual differences and other factors influence the way we experience stress, there are certain common events that all of us experience as stressful, including death and dying, health-care issues, crime and justice issues, financial or economic issues and family-related issues. Several studies have shown that about 50 major life events can be ranked according to the degree of stress they tend to cause and the extent to which that stress carries a risk of illness or psychiatric disorders. The greater the number of life events we experience, the higher our risk of developing a problematic degree of stress. These stressors are listed below, from the most to least stressful:

Death of spouse or mate
Death of a close family member
Major injury or illness
Detention in jail or other institution
Major injury or illness in a close family member
Foreclosure on a loan or mortgage
Divorce
Being a victim of crime
Being a victim of police brutality
Infidelity
Domestic violence or sexual abuse
Separation or reconciliation with a spouse or mate
Being fired, laid off or unemployed
Experiencing financial problems or difficulties
Death of a close friend
Surviving a disaster
Becoming a single parent
Assuming responsibility for a sick or elderly loved one
Loss or major reduction in health insurance or benefits
Self or a close family member being arrested for violating the law
Major disagreement over child support, custody or visitation
Experiencing or being involved in an auto accident
Being disciplined or demoted at work
Dealing with unwanted pregnancy
Having an adult child move in or moving in with an adult child
Having a child with a behavior or learning problem
Experiencing discrimination or sexual harassment at work
Attempting to modify addictive behavior
Discovering or attempting to modify addictive behavior in a close family member
Employer reorganization or downsizing
Dealing with infertility or miscarriage
Getting married or remarried
Changing employers or careers
Failing to obtain or qualify for a mortgage
Pregnancy of self or of spouse or mate
Experiencing discrimination or harassment outside the workplace
Release from jail
Spouse or mate begins or ceases work outside the home
Major disagreement with boss or coworker
Change in residence
Finding appropriate child care or day care
Experiencing a large unexpected monetary gain
Changing positions (transfer or promotion)
Gaining a new family member
Changing work responsibilities
Having a child leave home
Obtaining a home mortgage
Obtaining a major loan other than a home mortgage
Retirement
Beginning or ceasing formal education
Receiving a ticket for violating the law

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