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Financial Coercion Stress

Meaning

Financial Coercion Stress describes the chronic, pervasive psychological and physiological distress that results from an individual’s financial resources being controlled, manipulated, or withheld by another party. This is a profound psychosocial stressor that creates economic dependence and a debilitating sense of powerlessness, trapping the individual in a cycle of control. Clinically, this persistent stress acts as a chronic activator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to sustained elevations in cortisol. The resultant hormonal dysregulation is a significant, yet often overlooked, contributor to metabolic and mental health decline.