What does distress mean in medical terms?
The term distress is defined as a mental reaction that indicates something is not right. It is a natural reaction when we feel something is outside of the norm. In a medical context distress can be an alert or warning when something is wrong. A feeling of distress is not an illness itself, but it could be an early symptom of something more serious, such as depression or anxiety.
What does distress mean in psychology?
It’s important to remember that not everyone who is anxious experiences distress. While distress can be a signal that something is wrong, it doesn’t automatically mean that. For example, some people are naturally anxious and never experience distress. Other people feel distress for no apparent reason.
What does distress mean in a medical term?
It’s possible to experience distress without being anxious or depressed. But it’s also common to have anxiety or depression without having distress. For example, you may be anxious about an exam, but not distressed if you don’t think you’ll fail it.
What does distress mean in terms of an illness?
If you are experiencing distress in the form of anxiety, depression, or a particular symptom that is interfering with your life, your distress is not due to your physical symptoms. It is not the cancer that is making you anxious or depressed. It is the way you are responding to the cancer, rather than the cancer itself, that is creating these feelings. When someone says they are in distress, it usually means they are struggling with a mental health issue that is not related to their cancer diagnosis.
What is distress meaning in medical terms?
According to the DSM-IV, distress is defined as a painful emotional reaction to an identifiable cause that is upsetting. This definition of distress is quite broad and can be used to describe many different types of problems. For example, distress is often used to describe feelings of anxiety. If you are anxious about a medical procedure that you are about to undergo, you may be experiencing distress. Or if you are in the middle of a painful divorce and describe your feelings of distress as “heartbroken,�
