Social stress is stress that stems from ones relationships with others and from the social environment in general. It is typically the most frequent type of stressor that people experience in their daily lives and affects people more intensely than other types of stressors. Here are some key points about social stress:
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Causes: Social stress can arise from various situations, such as low social status, giving a speech, interviewing with potential employers, caring for a loved one with a chronic illness, meeting new people at a party, the threat of or actual death of a loved one, divorce, and discrimination.
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Impact: Social stress can cause strain in relationships and can threaten one’s relationships, esteem, or sense of belonging within a social context. In the workplace, examples of social stressors often include verbal aggression, co-worker conflict, negative group environments, organizational politics, and unfair treatment.
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Measurement: Researchers define social stress and social stressors in various ways, such as "the feelings of discomfort or anxiety that individuals may experience in social situations, and the associated tendency to avoid potentially stressful social situations".
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Resilience: Resilience to the effects of social stress is an area of study, and evidence from clinical and preclinical studies suggests that coping strategies play a role in mitigating the impact of social stress.
Understanding social stress and its impact is important for individuals and organizations to address and mitigate its effects on well-being and health, both in personal and professional settings.
