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Psychological Stressors

Meaning

Psychological stressors are any subjective perceptions or objective circumstances that tax an individual’s cognitive and emotional coping resources, leading to an activation of the body’s central stress response system. These stimuli, which can range from chronic work demands to interpersonal conflict, are not merely mental events; they translate directly into profound physiological changes. Their clinical relevance lies in their direct and potent influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the balance of sex hormones.