In response to Fresia’s question, I do agree with Selye saying that stress occurs “regardless of whether the demand resulted in pleasant or unpleasant conditions” (pp 38). For instance, we may assume that winning the lottery, which is definitely not a threat to well-being, is all happiness in the future for the winner; however, the cognitive appraisal of this life changing event determines if one experiences eustress or distress. One winner may feel overwhelmed by the multiple financial demands imposed on them by their family and friends, which will result in physiological and psychological symptoms of stress, while the other feels more motivated and deploys the appropriate coping mechanisms.
