Distress (medicine)

In medicine, distress is an aversive state in which a person is unable to completely adapt to difficult situations and their resulting effects and shows maladaptive behaviors.

[1] It can be evident in the presence of various phenomena, such as inappropriate social interaction (e.g., aggression, passivity, or withdrawal).

To assess patient distress, a Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire is most commonly used.

The score from the HADS questionnaire guides a clinician to recommend lifestyle modifications or further assessment for mental disorders like depression.

Examples of positive ways are listening to music, calming exercises, coloring, sports and similar healthy distractions.