Causing worry, sadness, or anxiety; upsetting or troubling.
From Old French 'distresse' (anguish), derived from Latin 'districtus' (pulled in different directions); the word originally meant being torn apart emotionally.
Distress literally comes from Latin 'districtus,' which means 'pulled in different directions'—so when you're distressed, you're being pulled apart between conflicting emotions, which is exactly what makes anxiety so physically uncomfortable.
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