Distress is negative stress that leads to anxiety, worry, fear, and impaired physical functions, while eustress is positive stress that promotes motivation, improved physical functioning, and a positive outlook on life. Distress is caused by negative situations and experiences, while eustress is triggered by positive ones. Both types of stress can have significant impacts on a person’s mental and physical well-being.
Key Takeaways
- Distress is negative stress that causes anxiety, worry, fear, and impaired physical functions, while eustress is positive stress that promotes motivation, improved physical functioning, and a positive outlook on life.
- Distress can lead to both psychological and physical symptoms, including tension, irritability, fatigue, mood changes, headaches, chest pain, and insomnia, while eustress can result in increased focus, excitement, energy, productivity, resilience, and confidence.
- There are various strategies to manage and prevent distress, such as finding meaning in negative situations, focusing on actions within one’s control, addressing the root cause, and practicing self-compassion and relaxation techniques. To promote eustress, individuals can engage in activities such as socializing, vacationing, facing challenges, learning new things, and setting and achieving goals.
What is Distress?
Distress, the negative stress that causes anxiety, worry, fear, and impaired physical functions, is primarily caused by negative situations and experiences such as job loss, financial problems, illness, injury, negligence, abuse, losing a loved one, relationship problems, work-related problems, or exam-related issues. Signs of distress may include less focus, restlessness, procrastination, insecurity, impaired performance, and fear.
Distress can cause both psychological and physical symptoms, including tension, irritability, fatigue, feeling overwhelmed, shortness of breath, mood changes, headaches, chest pain, insomnia, digestive and appetite problems. If left unmanaged, distress can lead to heart disease and other health issues. Therefore, it is crucial to use strategies to protect oneself from distress and manage negative situations effectively.
What is Eustress?
Eustress is positive stress that is motivating, helpful, and improves physical functioning. It encourages people to improve their physical performance, work hard, and reach their goals. Eustress typically increases a person’s focus and energy, building physical and mental strength. It is caused by positive experiences in life, such as starting a new job or getting married. Eustress has positive impacts, including increased focus, excitement, energy, productivity, performance, resilience, self-efficacy, motivation, confidence, and a positive outlook on life.
Various factors can contribute to eustress, and there are many ways to improve it, such as socializing, vacationing, listening to music, meditation, facing challenges, learning new things, taking responsibilities, building relationships, and achieving goals. People who experience eustress tend to be optimistic, have control over situations, focus on problem-solving, be prepared, knowledgeable, adaptable, practice self-care, stress management, and self-compassion.
What is the Difference Between Distress and Eustress?
The key difference between distress and eustress is that distress is negative stress with negative outcomes, while eustress is positive stress with positive outcomes. People experiencing distress tend to be less focused, energetic, productive, resilient, insecure, procrastinating, fearful, and have a negative outlook on life. In contrast, those experiencing eustress are more focused, energetic, productive, self-confident, motivated, mentally and physically strong, and have a positive outlook on life.
Summary – Distress vs Eustress
In summary, distress is negative stress that causes anxiety, worry, fear, and impaired physical functions due to negative experiences in life. People suffering from distress have a negative outlook on life and may experience mental and physical instability, insecurity, procrastination, mood changes, irritability, and decreased productivity, energy, and motivation. Frequent distress is extremely unhealthy for both the body and brain. On the other hand, eustress is positive stress that is motivating, helpful, and improves physical functioning due to positive experiences in life. People experiencing eustress have a positive outlook on life and tend to be mentally and physically stable, resilient, productive, energetic, and motivated. This is the main difference between distress and eustress.
