Which term refers to stress that has an unhealthy effect?

• A. Distress
• B. Eustress
• C. Frustration
• D. Anxiety

Answer: (A)

When stress starts to harm you—physically, mentally, or socially—that's distress. Distress is the negative, unhealthy form of stress that can drain your energy, impair thinking, and contribute to health problems if it’s intense or lasts for a long time. It’s the kind of stress you feel overwhelmed by or unable to cope with.

By contrast, eustress is the positive, motivating type of stress that can help you focus, rise to a challenge, and perform well. The other terms describe related experiences but don’t capture the idea of harmful stress: frustration comes from blocked goals and can be stressful, but it isn’t the label for stress that hurts health; anxiety is a broader feeling of worry or fear and may accompany stress, but it isn’t the specific descriptor for unhealthy stress itself.