Definition of StressWhat is the definition of stress? Did you know that there are two types of stress? Eustress and distress. Eustress is healthy. Distress can be harmful. Do you know how to tell the difference? What is stress? Until 1975, all stress was considered to be—stress. But, in 1975, Hans Hugo Bruno Selye, a Canadian endocrinologist, published a paper that introduced a new way of thinking about stress. Selye defined stress as being positive or negative stress – a totally new concept.
Photo courtesy of rick According to Selye, a person actually determines, himself, whether his experience will be eustress (good stress) or distress (bad stress). And this is determined by your experience (actual, imagined or how you interpret an experience), your expectations, and how you cope with events. Ask Your Question About Stress Now. Distress - For example, you may experience a high level of stress (distress) if you awaken in the middle of the night, hear a noise and think that someone is breaking into your home. You might have goose bumps, your heart might pound fast and you might find yourself sweating profusely. You believe that there is danger, so you experience distress (fear, anxiety, physical symptoms, etc.) This can happen, even if the noise was your neighbor's cat knocking over a garbage can. Eustress - Let's see how the same situation could produce eustress. You awaken in the middle of the night, hear a noise and remember that your husband, who was away on a business trip, would be coming in late. You are anxious to see him and tell him some good news that you learned today. You quickly put on your robe and slippers and go to meet him. This time your heart is pounding fast, and you feel excited and happy to see him. The “stress” of his return is energizing! Eustress. As you can see, the same situation – awakening in the night and hearing a noise – can be either eustress or distress. It all depends on the situation, your interpretation of the situation and how you cope. EustressEustress enhances function. It helps you emotionally, mentally or physically. You can experience positive stress when you go through strength training or when you take on a challenging assignment at work.Good stress is what keeps you on your toes during a job interview or when you are speaking in front of a group. It's what helps you push yourself in a race – so that you can come in first, instead of last. It's what helps you study for a test in college or present well when being introduced to a new friend. DistressThe definition of stress changes when you talk about distress. When you experience a lot of stress and you don't cope well with it, you experience distress, the kind of stress that most of us already know about.Distress can lead to anxiety, withdrawal, depression, and even to physical problems—if it isn't handled well and it continues for a long time. Here's the tricky part. The very same events in your life can cause either eustress or distress. The definition of stress changes with your perception of a situation. Here are some examples of events that you and someone else might interpret or handle in different ways. Your experience will determine whether each event will be positive or negative for you:
Any of the events above could be a positive or negative experience for you. Learning to handle events in your life (and thus, stress) will help you keep your negative stress levels under control. Stress can be cumulative, and accumulated bad stress is distress. Even putting too much positive stress on yourself can be harmful over time. Granted, economic hard times and a flu pandemic can be very stressful. But, there are ways to manage stress and keep yourself healthy. The most obvious way in which you can avoid distress is to prepare yourself and your family for any emergencies . Then, prepare yourself mentally to handle what you need to... Stress, handled with a positive attitude—can become positive stress! And so, the definition of stress changes, depending on your experiences and your interpretation of them. You have control over your stress levels—just as you have control over your own destiny! Ask Your Question About Stress Now. Here is some more information about stress - beyond the definition of stress:
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