Question

Can a stressor be both physical and psychological?

Answer 1

In a sense, yes. Stressors may take in different forms.

Explanation:

A stressor can be a chemical or biological agent, environmental condition, external stimulus, or an event that causes stress.

Stressors may include any of the following:

• Environmental stressors (ex: hypo or hyper-thermic temperatures, elevated sound levels, over-illumination, overcrowding)
• Daily stress events (ex: traffic, lost keys, quality and quantity of physical activity)
• Life changes (ex: divorce, bereavement)
• Workplace stressors (ex: high job demand vs. low job control, repeated or sustained exertions, forceful exertions, extreme postures)
• Chemical stressors (ex: tobacco, alcohol, drugs )
• Social stressor (ex: societal and family demands)
• Excruciating and prolonging pain (you get what it means)

So if you define physical as anything perceived through your senses, then a stressor can be physical (as excruciating and prolonging pain).

Mainly, what happens in your mind is psychological. So when any of those mentioned factors above affects your mind deeply, it becomes a stressor.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stressor http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stressor

Hope this helps. :-)