e. experiencing a nervous breakdown, breaking off a relationship, or even committing suicide). As with materials, a person will be able to adjust and adapt to increasing stress as long as they are within their elastic range. However, if enough stresses are piled on within a short enough amount of time, all human beings eventually reach a yield point, after which continued subjection to the situation(s) will lead to some permanent emotional scarring. Thereafter, if stress continues to escalate, the person will reach a place where their psyche simply cannot tolerate any more -- this is the cracking point, breaking point, or rupture point. There is no turning back from the rupture point -- permanent and irreparable damage has occurred. In human relationships, a yield point will also be reached when the amount of trauma, pain, betrayal, or general disaccord becomes unbearable. Some permanent damage will occur at this stage, but can be dealt with via therapy or other means. If nothing is done to remedy the situation, however, and it gets even worse, the relationship...

Human beings differ in that each person will be able to tolerate differing amounts of stress before experiencing differing amounts of strain, but the overall premise is the same. Ideally, people will seek help even before they reach their yield point, and most importantly, before they reach a rupture point.
References

Enoka, R. (2008). Neuromechanics of Human Movement. Human Kinetics.

Kardale, N. (2010, 05-23). Stresses, Strains, and Human Behavior. Retrieved 02-26, 2011, from nikhilkardale.wordpress.com: http://nikhilkardale.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/stresses-strains-and-human-behavior/

Mechanical Design in Optical Engineering: Stress-Strain Relationships. (2010). Retrieved 02-26, 2011, from optics.arizona.edu: http://www.optics.arizona.edu/optomech/references/OPTI_222/OPTI_222_W4.pdf