What are the two main types of stress?

• A. Eustress and Distress
• B. Positive and Negative
• C. Acute and Chronic
• D. Physiological and Psychological

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that stress is classified by how it feels and affects you, into eustress and distress. Eustress is the positive, stimulating kind that motivates you, helps you focus, and can improve performance when you feel capable and in control. Distress is the negative, overwhelming kind that comes when demands exceed resources, leading to anxiety, poor performance, and health problems, especially if it lasts a long time or feels uncontrollable. This distinction matters because it explains why some stress pushes you to grow while other stress hinders you. While other labels like acute vs chronic describe how long stress lasts, or physiological vs psychological describe where effects occur, they don’t capture the beneficial-versus-harmful nature of the stress itself as clearly as eustress and distress do.