Although some stressors are so powerful that they would evoke significant emotional distress in most otherwise mentally healthy people, the majority of stressful life events do not invariably trigger mental disorders. Understanding variability among individuals to a stressful life event is a major challenge to research.
Divorce is a common example.
Vulnerability to depression and anxiety is greater among those with a personal history of mental disorders earlier in life and is lessened by strong social support. For many, divorce conveys additional economic adversities and the stress of single parenting. In fact, people are generally unlikely to seek professional treatment during bereavement unless the severity of the emotional and behavioral disturbance is incapacitating. Life-threatening trauma frequently provokes emotional and behavioral reactions that jeopardize mental health. In mid-adult life, the stress of caretaking for elderly parents also becomes more common.