Question

Which of the following are consequences of stress? Check all that apply.

increased susceptibility to illness
feeling short of breath
increased immune response
inability to relate well to others
reduced feelings of sadness
infrequent visits to the doctor

Answer 1

Checked:
- increased susceptibility to illness — Yes. Chronic stress suppresses immune function and raises illness risk.
- feeling short of breath — Yes. Stress/anxiety commonly cause breathlessness or hyperventilation.
- inability to relate well to others — Yes. Stress often causes irritability, withdrawal, and impaired social functioning.

Not checked:
- increased immune response — No. Chronic stress typically decreases immune function (acute stress can briefly boost it, but not generally a consequence).
- reduced feelings of sadness — No. Stress tends to increase negative emotions, not reduce sadness.
- infrequent visits to the doctor — No. Stress more commonly increases health complaints and doctor visits (or leads to variable patterns), so “infrequent visits” is not a typical consequence.