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Eustress-Positive stress
Eustress is good stress. Stress is simply an external stimulus, eustress is the feeling you get when overcome with the excitement and anticipation of a desired outcome. Eustress was first introduced by Hans Selye MD, an endocrinologist. Eustress is defined as "stress that is healthy, or gives one a feeling of fulfillment or other positive feelings. Eustress is a process of exploring potential gains" The word eustress consists of two parts. The prefix eu- derives from the Greek word meaning either "well" or "good." When attached to the word stress, it literally means "good stress". Eustress was originally explored in a stress model by Richard Lazarus, it is the positive cognitive response to stress that is healthy, or gives one a feeling of fulfillment or other positive feelings. Selye created the term as a subgroup of stress to differentiate the wide variety of stressors and manifestations of stress. Eustress is not defined by the stressor type, but rather how one perceives that stressor (e.g. a negative threat versus a positive challenge). Eustress refers to a positive response one has to a stressor, which can depend on one's current feelings of control, desirability, location, and timing of the stressor. Potential indicators of eustress may include responding to a stressor with a sense of meaning, hope, or vigor. Eustress has also been positively correlated with life satisfaction and well-being.

Example of Eustress
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Meeting or engaging in a challenge Desired physical exercise (e. g. weight training, running, biking) Playing sports Watching a suspenseful or scary movie Riding a roller coaster Competing in a tournament Gambling

Eustress-Positive stress
Eustress is a term that is sometimes used to refer to what many call good stress. Rather than being the root cause for discomfort or emotional distress, eustress motivates people to continue moving forward and enjoy actions and events that require some effort but ultimately provide a great deal of satisfaction. The term appears to have originated with Hans Selye, an endocrinologist who wrote about the impact of stress on the mind and body. Just as there are many stressful situations that can lead to the development of depression, anxiety, and apathy, there are also types of eustress that promote general emotional and physical well being. Physical exercise is an excellent example of this kind of good stress. The action of engaging in planned physical activity such as walking, running, or working out in a gym does place some degree of stress on the body. However, that stress ultimately allows the muscles to develop and the heart and lungs to strengthen. At the same time, the stress of exercise causes the release of endorphins that help to elevate mood and protect individuals from depression. There are other examples of eustress that many people encounter throughout their lives. All of them ultimately provide some degree of happiness and well being. Graduating from high school or college, the birth of children, and securing a highly desirable job are all events that come with some amount of stress, but ultimately provide a positive emotions that help people to find meaning and value in life. It is important to note that eustress does not refer to satisfaction that is achieved without effort. Students must study and successfully complete coursework in order to earn a degree. Going through a pregnancy for nine months requires dealing with a wide range of physical and emotional issues before a mother knows the joy of cradling her child in her arms. Getting into top physical condition requires a commitment to regular exercise that challenges the limits of the body and mind if the individual is ever to experience the joy of a well-built body. The effects of eustress are many, and range from short-term to long-term benefits. In the short-term, eustress provides motivation to keep moving forward with an activity or project, even though it may be taxing. In the long-term, good stress helps to promote emotional balance, confidence, a sense of being wanted and needed, and a general feeling of being in harmony with the rest of the world. All these positive benefits help to minimize the chances of a number of physical and mental ailments developing.

Distress-Negative stress
Distress is categorized as great pain, anxiety, or sorrow. Distress is physical or mental afflictions that causes us to suffer more than wed want to. Distress is the type we shy away from, and although we try to avoid it as much as we can there will always be the occasional situation of distress in all our lives. Negative stress, which scientists call distress, is the kind of stress that comes from having your well-being threatened, or from being attacked, physically or emotionally. Distress causes the heart to race, breathing to become shallow, blood vessels to constrict (resulting in clammy palms and headaches), and even insomnia. Loss of a job, worry about family or spouse and divorce or death are huge sources of negative stress.

Examples of distress
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Causes anxiety or concern Can be short- or long-term Is perceived as outside of our coping abilities Feels unpleasant Decreases performance Can lead to mental and physical problems

Chronic Stress
Chronic stress is the response to emotional pressure suffered for a prolonged period over which an individual perceives he or she has no control. It involves an endocrine system response in which occurs a release of corticosteroids. While the immediate effects of stress hormones are beneficial in a particular situation, long-term exposure to stress creates a high level of these hormones that remains constant. This may lead to high blood pressure (and subsequently heart disease), damage to muscle tissue, inhibition of growth, suppression of the immune system, and damage to mental health. Chronic stress results from a state of ongoing physiological arousal. This occurs when the body experiences stressors with such frequency or intensity that the autonomic nervous system does not have an adequate chance to activate the relaxation response on a regular basis. This means that the body remains in a constant state of physiological arousal, which affects virtually every system in the body, either directly or indirectly. We were built to handle acute stress, which is short-lived, but not chronic stress, which is steady over a long term. This type of chronic stress response occurs all too frequently from our modern lifestyle, when everything from high-pressured jobs to loneliness to busy traffic can keep the body in a state of perceived threat and chronic stress. In this case, our fight-or-flight response, which was designed to help us fight a few life-threatening situations spaced out over a long period (like being attacked by a bear every so often), can wear down our bodies and cause us to become ill, either physically or emotionally.

Examples of Chronic Stress

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Constantly struggling to pay bills Living in poverty Living with a chronic illness Job related stress such as working in a high-pressure job Being part of a dysfunctional family Feeling of being discriminated against because of race, gender or sexual orientation 7. Feeling trapped in a marriage or other relationship 8. Being in an unhappy relationship 9. Feelings of loneliness that tend to increase during holiday times 10. Dealing with rush hour traffic and traffic jams on a daily basis can also cause feelings of road rage 11. Living near a place that is considered a constant danger such as an active volcano 12. Living near a place that constantly produces loud noises such as a airport