How to Compare Distress and Eustress

When you think about stress, it is almost always the negative or "bad" sort of stress: distress. Distress is, unfortunately, something we all experience from time to time. However, stress can also be positive. Eustress, or "good" stress, is also something we can experience. To benefit from this good form of stress, you have to compare distress and eustress, and recognize the difference between the two.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Recognize the cause of the stress. For example, task-related stress can often be eustress instead of distress. Task-related pressure is easily resolved by completing the task in question, providing you with a sense of accomplishment. In contrast, emotional stress caused by interpersonal relationships is not as easy to resolve, and is most often distress.

2. Note the duration of the stress. Eustress tends to come in short, adrenaline-like bursts. Distress tends to occur over time, slowly eating away at a person's stress level.

3. Ask whether the stress has a payoff or reward at the end. Eustress has an incentive, such as a performance bonus at work or the birth of a baby, while distress doesn't provide a positive outcome.

4. Compare distress and eustress based on their nature, not their impact.

Tips & Warnings

• Moderate amounts of stress increase performance, while too much stress impairs performance. Too little stress can decrease motivation. Finding a balance in the amount of distress and eustress you experience is imperative.

• Both types of stress can, over time, cause physical and psychological problems. Even eustress, when it's persistent, can have negative effects in the same way that distress can.