Which term describes negative stress associated with events like injury, illness, divorce, or being fired?

• A. Stress
• B. Distress
• C. Eustress
• D. Chronic Stress

Answer: (B)

Negative stress that springs from events that threaten your well-being—like injury, illness, divorce, or losing a job—fits best with the term distress. Distress refers to the adverse emotional and physical reactions you have when demands exceed your coping resources, leading to feelings such as worry, frustration, or overwhelm and potentially impairing functioning. It’s the opposite of eustress, which is positive, motivating stress that can be manageable and even beneficial. While stress is a broad, neutral term, and chronic stress describes how long stress lasts, distress specifically captures the harmful, adverse aspect tied to challenging life events.