Which category of stress refers to negative responses to stressors such as feeling overwhelmed or anxious?

• A. Distress
• B. Eustress
• C. Anticipatory
• D. Time

Answer: (A)

Distress is the negative form of stress, occurring when demands are greater than a person’s coping resources. When someone feels overwhelmed or anxious, their emotional and physiological responses become unfavorable, leading to difficulties with concentration, sleep, decision-making, and overall functioning. This contrasts with eustress, the positive, motivating kind of stress that can heighten alertness and performance. Anticipatory stress describes stress about a future event; it can feel distressing or motivating depending on how the situation is appraised, but the specific feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious point to distress. Time, by itself, isn’t a category of stress—it’s a factor that can contribute to distress if the time pressure feels unmanageable.