Types of Stress

There are a few main types of stress – Eustress (positive stress) and Distress (negative stress).

Eustress

Eustress is beneficial stress—either psychological, physical (e.g. exercise), or biochemical (hormesis). 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.

Distress – Bad Stress

Distress is an aversive state in which a person is unable to completely adapt to stressors, their resulting stress and shows maladaptive behaviours. It can be evident in the presence of various phenomena, such as inappropriate social interaction (e.g., aggression, passivity, or withdrawal). It is a 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.

In Comparison

EUSTRESS (Positive Stress)	DISTRESS (Bad Stress)
Motivates	Causes anxiety or concern
Focuses energy	Can lead to mental or physical problems
Is short-term	Can be short-term or long-term
Is perceived as within our coping abilities	Is perceived as outside of our coping abilities
Feels exciting	Feels unpleasant
Improves performance	Decreases performance

Unaddressed workplace stress can lead to:

• Poor job performance
• Quality issues
• Possible redundancy or termination 
• Employee financial difficulty
• Less effective everyday functionality
• Pre- mature ageing
• Onset of mental health
• Anxiety attacks
• Low self esteem
• Nervous breakdown / Burnouts
• PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorders