The Eustress Concept: Problems and Outlooks

The concepts of eustress and allostasis are discussed in terms of their inter-relationship and penetration. Historical research on general adaptation syndrome is examined from the standpoint of an interdisciplinary approach in which the effects of stress are manifested in four areas: physiology, behaviour, subjective experience and cognitive functions. This article provides a review of eustress concepts. The key problems and contradictions of eustress concept are disclosed and discussed. The authors propose an approach to eustress from the position of the adaptation process. The definition of eustress is substantiated as a form of stress after which a person’s adaptive capacity increases. The ways and mechanisms of eustress are described. The role of eustress is reviewed in the context of allostasis, a form of adaptation more complex than homeostasis. The authors propose the working hypothesis of allostatic states to describe the phenomena of distress and eustress.