What is Psychological Stress?
Written for Verywell Health
Stress is something everybody experiences throughout life. It is how the body and brain react to any need or demand that it sees as a challenge or obstacle. However, it is not necessarily a negative, as some people see short-term stress as motivating, as with an exam or job interview.
In one study that also examined an association with social media use, the Pew Research Center used the Perceived Stress Scale to evaluate the stress levels of American adults. The average score was 10.2 out of 30, with 0 being no stress and 30 being the highest level. They also found that women and men had different stress levels, with women being significantly more stressed overall. Older adults and those who are employed tend to have lower levels of stress.
Stress comes in several forms and causes different symptoms, which all depend on the person. Read more about psychological stress in this overview.