stress [stres]

stress

[stres]
stress: see strength of materials.

In psychology, a state of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium. Stress is an unavoidable effect of living and is an especially complex phenomenon in modern technological society. It has been linked to coronary heart disease, psychosomatic disorders, and various other mental and physical problems. Treatment usually consists of a combination of counseling or psychotherapy and medication.

Learn more about stress with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Psychological reaction occurring after a highly stressful event and typically characterized by flashbacks, recurrent nightmares, and avoidance of reminders of the event; depression and anxiety are often present. Traumatic events that can lead to PTSD include automobile accidents, rape or assault, military combat, torture, and such natural disasters as floods, fires, or earthquakes. Long-term effects can include marital and family problems, difficulties at work, and abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Antidepressant medication and psychotherapy, including group therapy, are used in treating the disorder.

Learn more about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Sturm und Drang(German; “storm and stress”)

German literary movement of the latter half of the 18th century characterized by a revolt against what the writers saw as the Enlightenment cult of rationalism and the sterile imitation of French literature. It exalted nature, intuition, impulse, instinct, emotion, fancy, and inborn genius as the wellsprings of literature. Influenced by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Johann Gottfried Herder, and others, it took its name from the h1 of a play by Friedrich von Klinger (1752–1831). Dramatic works were the movement's most characteristic product. Its most gifted representatives were Friedrich Schiller and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, whose Sorrows of Young Werther (1774) epitomizes its spirit.

Learn more about Sturm und Drang with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Stress may refer to:

Mechanical

Biological

Music

Other

Search another word or see stresson Dictionary | Thesaurus |Spanish
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature