Eustress Vs Distress-A Review
Eustress Vs Distress-A Review
Eustress Vs Distress-A Review
It is typically assumed that experiencing chronic stress, either in the form of distress or eustress, is
negative. However, eustress can instead fuel physiological thriving by positively influencing the
underlying biological processes implicated in physical recovery and immunity.
2. Definition
Eustress occurs when the gap between what one has and what one wants is slightly pushed, but not
overwhelmed. The goal is not too far out of reach but is still slightly more than one can handle. This
fosters challenge and motivation since the goal is in sight. The function of challenge is to motivate a
person toward improvement and a goal
Distress is the most commonly referred to type of stress, having negative implications. It general term
used to describe unpleasant feelings or emotions that impact your level of functioning in other words;
it is psychological discomfort that interferes with your activities of daily living. Psychological
Distress can result in negative views of the environment, others and the self.
3. Measurements
Eustress and distress may be measured on subjective levels such as of quality of life or work life, job
pressure, psychological coping resources, complaints, over all stress level and mental health. The
level of measurements mainly focuses on occupational, self efficacy, flow. The person will fall on
eustress or distress depends upon their mental perception of stressor.
Occupational
Self Efficacy
Flow
4. Occupational
In the workplace, stress can often be interpreted as a challenge, which generally denotes positive
eustress, or as a hindrance, which refers to distress that interferes with one's ability to accomplish a
job or task.
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Eustress creates a better environment for employees, which makes them perform better and cost less
Eustress is necessary for achievement. Eustress is related to well-being and positive attitudes and thus
increases work performance.
Techniques such as Stress Management Interventions (SMI) have been employed to increase
occupational eustress. SMI's often incorporate exercise, meditation, and relaxation techniques to
decrease distress and increase positive perceptions of stress in the workplace Rather than decrease
stress in the workplace, SMI techniques attempt to increase eustress with positive reactions to
stressful stimuli.
5. Self Efficacy
Eustress is primarily based on perceptions. It is how you perceive your given situation and how you
perceive your given task. It is not what is actually happening, but a person’s perception of what is
happening Eustress is thus related to self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is one’s judgment of how they can
carry out a required task, action or role some contributing factors are a person’s beliefs about the
effectiveness about their options for courses of action and their ability to perform those actions. If a
person has low self-efficacy, they will see the demand as more distressful than eustressful because the
perceived level of what the person has is lower. When a person has high self-efficacy, they can skill in
order to set goals higher and be motivated to achieve them. The goal then is to increase self-efficacy
and enable people to increase eustress.
6. Flow
When an individual appraises a situation as stressful, they add the label for distress or eustress to the
issue at hand. If a situation induces eustress, the person may feel motivated and can experience flow.
Positive psychologist, MihalyCsikszentmihalyi, created this concept which is described as the
moments when one is completely absorbed into an enjoyable activity with no awareness of
surroundings Flow is an extremely productive state in which an individual experiences their prime
performance. The core elements are absorption, enjoyment and intrinsic motivation. Flow is
considered a peak experience or “the single most joyous, happiest, most blissful moment of your life.”
8. Distress
In contrast, Distress, or negative stress, has the following characteristics:
Causes anxiety or concern.
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RET Academy for International Journals of Multidisciplinary Research (RAIJMR)
Sivasubramanian [Subject: Nursing Science] International Journal of Vol. 4, Issue: 5, July: 2016
Research in Humanities & Soc. Sciences [I.F. = 0.564] ISSN:(P) 2347-5404 ISSN:(O)2320 771X
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.
12. Conclusion
It is therefore important to have a better understanding of both distress and eustress to separate the
grain from the chaff.
References
1. Nelson, D. LB. L. Simmons (2004). P. L. Perrewé; D. C. Ganster, eds. Eustress: An Elusive
Construct an Engaging Pursuit (First ed.). Oxford, UK: Elsevier Jai. ISBN 0-7623-1057-X.
2. Lazarus, R. S. (1966). Psychological Stress and the Coping Process. New York, Toronto, London:
McGraw-Hill Book Co.
3. Smith, Craig (1991). "The Self, Appraisal and Coping", Handbook of Social and Clinical
Psychology: The Health Perspective, New York, NY: Pergamon Press, pp. 116–137
4. Nelson, Debra; Cooper, Cary (1 April 2005). "Stress and health: A positive direction".Stress and
Health 21 (2): 73–75. doi:10.1002/smi.1053.
5. Sullivan, Geraldine (18 July 2010). "The Relationship Between Hope, Eustress, Self-Efficacy, and
Life Satisfaction Among Undergraduates". Social Indicators Research101 (1): 155–
172. doi:10.1007/s11205-010-9662-z.
6. Fevre, Mark Le; Kolt, Gregory S.; Matheny, Jonathan (1 January 2006). "Eustress, distress and
their interpretation in primary and secondary occupational stress management interventions:
which way first? Journal of Managerial Psychology 21 (6):547–565. doi:
10.1108/02683940610684391.
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