Which of the following is a symptom of Cognitive Stress?

• A. Appetite changes
• B. Increased argument
• C. Social withdrawal
• D. Seeing only the negative

Answer: (D)

When stress affects how we think, one common pattern is a biased focus on negative information. Seeing only the negative shows this clearly: the mind filters out positives and fixates on what’s wrong, producing a pessimistic, all-or-nothing view. That kind of negative cognition—cognitive distortion under pressure—is a hallmark of cognitive stress because it reflects changes in thought content and processing rather than just physical feelings or outward behavior.

Appetite changes are more about physical responses to stress, which involve the body rather than thinking patterns. Increased argument describes behavioral reactions in interactions with others, not the way thoughts are processed. Social withdrawal is an outward behavior affecting social engagement, also not the cognitive processing itself. Recognizing the tendency to see things only in a negative light helps explain how cognitive stress manifests in thinking.