General Adaptation Syndrome

The general adaptation syndrome is the reaction that we have a source of stress. Humans and animals always react in the same way to a source of stress, whatever that source is.

Hans Selye described this reaction in 1956. He did research with animals and also looked at what prolonged stress does to people.

This syndrome consists of three phases.

The first phase is the alarm reaction. Once a stressor gets to you, your body begins to ensure that you are as resilient as possible, and that you can handle the source of stress. If you hear tires squealing in a nearby street, you get startled. Stress hormones are instantly released to ensure that your body is ready to fight or to flee from the potential threat within one second: the fight-or-flight response. All systems that allow that to happen are fully mobilized. This is a short phase, which can not be sustained for long .

The second phase is the stage of resistance. This phase begins when the danger still remains after the first phase is finished. More stress hormones are now released, allowing your body to release more energy. The specific resistance to the stressor increases, but the overall resistance decreases; if another stressors would occur during this phase, you will have far less resistance. Because your body is ready for that first source of stress, you are prepared less for other sources of stress. All the energy goes to that one, first source.

In this phase, people are less sexually interested. All power goes to defending against the one source of stress.

The third phase is the exhaustion phase. If you are still unable to adapt to the situation and the source of stress, the third phase starts. Because sources of energy are exhausted and there is no room for new energy release, certain body mechanisms are gradually expelled. Illness due to stress may occur.