Final answer:
Chronic stressors and stress from traumatic events are the two categories of stressors with a long duration. Chronic stressors include long-term situations such as caregiving or unemployment, whereas traumatic events can lead to prolonged stress through disorders like PTSD.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two categories of stressors that can have a long duration are chronic stressors and stress resulting from traumatic events. Chronic stressors include ongoing situations like caring for a family member with a long-term illness, experiencing continuous unemployment, or imprisonment. On the other hand, stress from traumatic events may continue long after the event has ended, such as stress experienced by individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following exposure to severe threats or harm.
While the body's response to short-term stress can be adaptive, the response to long-term chronic stress tends to be maladaptive, leading to a dysregulated stress response, which can suppress immune function and contribute to the development of illnesses or exacerbate existing health conditions.