General Adaptation Syndrome Stages – Many people experience stress due to the many challenges that require us to adapt to it. The source of stress is not possible for you to lose, but you can manage stress to deal with it.
Many people do not yet know the stages of stress known as a General adaptation syndrome (GAS), but when you understand the stress stages, it will be easier to identify the signs of chronic stress within you.
GAS or General Adaption Syndrome is a physiological and psychobiological reaction caused by stress. Examples of loss of appetite, muscle weakening, decreased interest, anxious feelings, and so on. GAS was introduced by Hans De Selye in 1920. Hans De Selye explains the GAS model in 3 (three) stage models:
1. State of Alarm (warning stage).
2. State of Resistance (Defence stage).
3. State of Exhaustion (fatigue stage).
Hans explains the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) system that prepares the body in the face of stress. It also describes a local adaptation syndrome, which refers to the inflammatory response and the repair process occurring in certain areas.
Psychophysiological stress.
If for any reason, you accidentally touched your hand on a hot stove, some incidents can be predicted to happen. You will feel sick. And there will also be damage to the skin tissues affected by the stove. Depending on the time of your reaction, you immediately withdraw the hand from the stove. You may say certain words.
The incident is described an interaction between you and the environment. That is an incident that results in physical and psychological consequences. It is also an incident that projects about the sense of stress and the way that we respond physically and psychologically.
General Adaptation Syndrome Stages Stage
Hans identifies General Adaptation Syndrome Stages Stage as alarms, resistances, and fatigue
Alarm / Warning stage.
This is the initial stage where the body directly reacts to the cause of stress (stressor). After meeting the stressor, the body reacts with the response of a “fight-or-flight response” by activating the sympathetic nervous system. If there is a threat or danger, the body will secrete hormones such as cortisol hormones and adrenaline to overcome anxiety or fear. At this stage the body’s defenses are deployed to face the stressor, consequently the immune ability can decrease. If the stressor is lost, the body will return to normal.
Read also: Signs of stress in children.
Resistance Stage
After a tense event, the body begins to repair itself. It releases a lower amount of cortisol, your heart rate and blood pressure start to normal.
The body enters the recovery phase, but stays in high alert conditions for a while.
If stress is solved, the body will continue to repair itself until hormone levels, heartbeat, and blood pressure reaches a pre-stressed state.
If stress is not resolved, eventually the body will adapt and learn how to live with higher levels of stress. The body underwent an unconscious change in the effort to cope with stress.
The body will still secrete stress hormones and keep blood pressure high. If the resistance stage continues without pause, this can lead to fatigue.
Resistance resistant is characterized by the irritability, frustration, and poor concentration.
Read also: Benefits of stress on the body.
Fatigue stage.
This stage is the result of prolonged stress. Experiencing stress for a long time can drain energy, emotions, and mentally until the body no longer have the power to resist stress. You may give up and feel no hope.
Fatigue is characterized by depleted energy, depression, anxiety, decreased stress tolerance, immune system.
Facing the same stressor constantly, where the body has managed to adjust itself, will eventually make fatigue energy adaptation (exhausted). Alarm signal reaction reappears, but currently they are not returned as before (to the point of balance), so individuals experience serious illness that can lead to death.
Thank you very much for reading General Adaptation Syndrome Stages, hopefully useful.
