Stress is often given a bad rap. And for a good reason: Too much stress can lead to serious health repercussions—mentally and physically.
But here’s the thing: It’s actually not all bad.
There’s eustress and distress. So, let’s match these two up against one another. In this article, we’re comparing eustress vs distress.
What should you know? How can stress actually be a good thing in your life?
Maybe you’ve plugged into Google “eustress meaning,” only to feel left with more questions than answers. This might be especially true if you’ve always thought “stress” meant “bad.” So, let’s flip this perspective a bit.
What five key things should you know when it comes to understanding eustress vs distress?
Eustress is more closely related with positive emotions.
While it can cause frustration or worry, it’s more likely to lead to fulfillment in life. Unfortunately, distress is the complete opposite. It’s more likely to fill you with feelings of hopelessness, panic, and anxiety, potentially leading you toward serious mental health repercussions.
Eustress is a small amount of stress—at least, usually. Inevitably, a person’s resilience may determine the exact amount of stress a person can take on without it becoming negative or overwhelming. All in all, eustress feels manageable.
Distress, on the other hand, doesn’t. You will feel overwhelmed by it, giving way to various negative emotions.
Eustress propels us forward bit by bit. It usually doesn’t stick around long. Distress, depending on the cause, may be short-term or long-term. For instance, distress can arise from loss, which may take a long time to move on from.
As previously mentioned, eustress and resilience are closely linked. In fact, eustress can actually increase your resiliency, mentally and physically.
Opposite to this, distress, especially in the long-term, is most likely to lead to negative health repercussions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and more.
This perhaps more so highlights the significance of taking care of your mental health. Stress can be good, but if your confidence isn’t where it needs to be, a little stress can be considered distress, depending on the situation.
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So, what are some examples of eustress and distress?
First up, let’s briefly look at the factors that impact eustress vs distress. These include:
Individually, whether something is eustress or distress depends on the person themselves. At the same time, distress can widely be categorized as a lack of resources, such as feeling overwhelmed due to a lack of time or money.
Furthermore, examples of distress include:
Examples of eustress include:
Short-term and motivating stress is considered good, which is what eustress is generally defined as.
However, any stress over the long term can have negative consequences. The key is to keep your stress levels manageable. This allows the body and/or mind to adapt accordingly.
So, how can you encourage more eustress over distress? Here are a few ideas:
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Generally, change and stress can feel unpleasant.
Yet, it doesn't necessarily mean bad things are about to happen. Perhaps personal growth is on the horizon or maybe you’ll come out stronger than before.
Aim for more eustress vs distress in your life! Stress can be positive. You’ve just got to become equipped to handle most of these stressors so you can pave your way toward your best life.
Hans Selye, founder of the Stress Theory, once said, “Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.”
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