Final answer:
When people are pushed beyond their ability to cope due to ordinary stresses, they may develop an adjustment disorder, which is a response to significant life changes or stressful events leading to symptoms that impact functioning .the correct answer is b. adjustment disorder
Step-by-step explanation:
When ordinary stresses like losing a job, intense marital strife, or chronic physical illness push people beyond their ability to cope with life, this often leads to an adjustment disorder. An adjustment disorder is a shock to the normal state of health that occurs in response to a significant life change or stressful event. It is characterized by the development of emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable stressor.
Ordinary life changes, though less intense than traumatic events, can still pose significant stress. Such daily stressors or significant life changes necessitate periods of adjustment as individuals work to regain their equilibrium. While chronic stressors, such as ongoing relationship problems or continuous job strain, tend to persist over time, acute stressors generally involve rapid changes that have an immediate but temporary impact. Both can lead to a variety of stress-related disorders, depending on the nature of the stressor and the individual's resources for coping.
In the case of an adjustment disorder, the individual usually experiences more distress than would typically be expected in response to the stressor, and this distress can significantly affect social, occupational, or other areas of functioning. Treatment can involve counseling, therapy to improve coping skills, and sometimes medication if the adjustment disorder coexists with other conditions like depression or anxiety.