Distress & Eustress

stress ball with a happy face depictcting a positive, constructive way to manage stress

course syllabus for Your Well-Being online health and wellness education course

Course Outline

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Understand the differences between distress and eustress and how each affects mental and physical health.

Behavioral Objective

Identify personal sources of distress and eustress, and develop strategies to promote positive stress and manage negative stress effectively.

Key Thought

Not all stress is harmful; by embracing eustress and managing distress, we can foster a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Understand the differences between distress and eustress and how each affects mental and physical health.

Behavioral Objective

Identify personal sources of distress and eustress, and develop strategies to promote positive stress and manage negative stress effectively.

Key Thought

Not all stress is harmful; by embracing eustress and managing distress, we can foster a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Terms

Chronic Stress

noun

Prolonged and constant feeling of stress that can negatively affect physical and mental health over time. It occurs when stressors persist without relief or relaxation.

Distress

noun

Negative stress that causes physical or mental discomfort and can lead to health issues when prolonged.

Eustress

noun

Positive stress that motivates energizes and contributes to well-being and growth.

Terms

Chronic Stress

noun

Prolonged and constant feeling of stress that can negatively affect physical and mental health over time. It occurs when stressors persist without relief or relaxation.

Distress

noun

Negative stress that causes physical or mental discomfort and can lead to health issues when prolonged.

Eustress

noun

Positive stress that motivates energizes and contributes to well-being and growth.

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Activities
Related Content

Introduction

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but not all stress is created equal. While many people are familiar with distress, the negative stress that can lead to overwhelm and health problems, fewer recognize the benefits of eustress. Eustress, or positive stress, energizes and motivates us, fostering personal growth and joy. Understanding the differences between these two types of stress and learning to balance them can transform how we navigate challenges and enhance our overall well-being. We can create a healthier and more balanced life by managing distress and incorporating more eustress.

Fueling Negative Stress

Do you stay awake and worry about the missed work when you're sick? Did you get toys or games taken away when you had to miss school with a cold so that you wouldn't be distracted from rest? These behaviors can make stress worse or prolong symptoms. By denying ourselves small pleasures in response to lost productivity, we fuel negative stress or distress, which can further compromise the immune system.

Hans Seyle, The Father of Stress Study

Hans Selye, a young medical student in the early 20th century, noticed that patients with different diseases often shared similar symptoms; they just "looked sick."¹ This observation was pivotal in identifying stress, which he later termed *distress*. He discovered that our bodies release hormones to cope with distress, which impacts physical health. This idea was so novel that many languages had to create new words to describe it.²

Distress

Distress is what we commonly think of when we say "stress." It's the overwhelmed feeling from a bad day at work, a looming deadline, or being late for an appointment. Everyone knows this feeling. Distress can be triggered anytime, anywhere, depending on how we perceive situations. The good news? Even in the most distressing situations, growth opportunities can often be found. Chris Gardner, who experienced homelessness while raising his son, faced enormous distress but saw a chance to pursue his dream. His story, depicted in *The Pursuit of Happyness*, illustrates overcoming distress by finding opportunity in adversity.

Eustress

Eustress is the positive side of stress. It energizes and motivates us. Think of a roller coaster ride: one person might experience sheer terror (distress) while another feels excitement and joy (eustress). The prefix "eu-" means "good," and eustress can uplift and benefit us. Unlike distress, eustress often fades as we age unless we consciously seek it out. According to Robert Provine, PhD, who studied laughter neuroscience, adults laugh less than children because they play less, indicating decreased activities promoting eustress.³

What to Do About It

Adults can incorporate eustress through small activities that bring joy. Laughter, a walk, yoga, or even a funny movie can create eustress. By finding these moments, we can shift our stress balance. Imagine stress as a scale; the goal is to keep it tipped toward eustress and away from distress. Incorporate daily activities that foster eustress and make time for self-care. Small acts like smiling at someone or stretching during work can make a difference. Taking an hour, a day, or even a weekend to recharge helps you care for others and pursue goals more effectively.

Stress : 1:04

Recognize and Record Your Stress Types

Objective: Differentiate between distress and eustress in your daily life and recognize the impact they have.

Activity:

Keep a journal for a week where you record daily events that caused you distress or eustress.
For each event, note down how it made you feel physically and mentally.
Identify which events were distressing and which were positive, eustress-inducing experiences.
Reflect on any patterns that emerge and consider how you could increase eustress and manage distress better.

Create a Eustress Action Plan

Objective: Develop a personalized plan to incorporate more eustress activities into your routine.

Activity:

Make a list of activities that bring you joy and relaxation (e.g., playing a game, walking, laughing with friends).
Choose three of these activities and schedule time for them over the next week.
After each activity, write a brief note on how it impacted your mood and energy levels.
Assess which activities were most effective at boosting eustress and how often you can integrate them into your life.

Stress Balance Visualization

Objective: Visualize your current balance of distress and eustress to better understand your stress levels.

Activity:

Draw or create a simple scale diagram with one side labeled "Distress" and the other labeled "Eustress".
List examples of activities or events that contribute to each side of the scale.
Reflect on how balanced your scale is and identify changes you can make to shift the balance toward eustress.
Write down three immediate steps you can take to decrease distress or increase eustress in your life.

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Distress & Eustress

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Behavioral Objective

Key Thought

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Behavioral Objective

Key Thought

Terms

Terms

Introduction

Fueling Negative Stress

Hans Seyle, The Father of Stress Study

Distress

Eustress

What to Do About It

Recognize and Record Your Stress Types

Create a Eustress Action Plan

Stress Balance Visualization

Healthy Ways to Manage Confrontation in a Divisive World

How Does Our Body Process Stress?

Life Tips We Can Learn From a Good Dog

Managing Stress Through Deep Breathing: Techniques to Help You Relax

Course Outline