Acute stress is best described as?

• A. Short term stress; caused by recent major events
• B. A series of stressful events, each one triggering the other
• C. The worst type; a stressful event you live with everyday
• D. Positive stress that enhances performance

Answer: (A)

Acute stress is a short-term stress response to a specific trigger. It happens quickly after a recent event or demand and tends to subside once the event passes or you adapt. The description “short term stress; caused by recent major events” captures that time frame and the idea of a distinct, immediate trigger. By contrast, chronic stress refers to ongoing, long-lasting pressure; the idea of a series of events causing one after another describes a lingering pattern rather than a single short-lived response. The notion of the worst type living with you daily describes chronic stress, not acute. And the label of positive stress that enhances performance points to eustress, which is about beneficial effects rather than defining the short-lived nature of the response. So the best fit is the short-term response to a recent event.