1 Much of what we know about the body's response[1]
to stress is the result of pioneering research by Hans Selye
(1907- 1982), the famed stress researcher known affectionately as
"Dr. Stress." Selye found that the body responds in a similar
manner to various stressors—cold, noise, infectious agents, pressures on
the job, or mental stress in the form of worry or anxiety. He
recognized that specific stressors, such as an invading virus, do elicit
specific reactions in the body. But layered over these specific
responses is a more general response to stress, which he called the general adaptation[2]
syndrome (GAS) (also called the stress response). The general adaptation
syndrome consists of three stages, each of which we consider below.
Alarm
Stage
2 The alarm[3]
stage is the body's first stage of response to a stressor, during which
its defenses prepare for action. Suppose a car ahead of you on the road
suddenly veers out of control. This is an immediate stressful event.
Your heart starts pounding faster, speeding the flow of blood to your
extremities and providing muscles with the oxygen and fuel they need to take
swift action, such as performing an emergency maneuver to avoid a collision.
The body's response during the alarm stage is called the fight-or-flight[4]
response because it is characterized by biological changes that prepare the
body to deal with a threat by either fighting it off or fleeing from it.
3 The alarm stage is accompanied by
strong physiological[5]
and psychological arousal. Our hearts pound, our breathing quickens,
sweat pours down our foreheads, and we are flooded with strong emotions such as
terror, fright, anxiety, rage, or anger.
4 Different stressful events may trigger[6]
the alarm stage of the GAS. The threat may be physical, as in an attack
by an assailant, or psychological, as in an event that induces fear of
failure (a professor handing out an examination, for example). In some people,
the alarm is triggered whenever they meet a new person at a social
gathering; they find themselves sweating heavily and feeling anxious, and they
may become tongue-tied. In others, the body alarm system is activated whenever
they visit the dentist. Whether the perceived threat is physical or
psychological, the body's response is the same.
5 The alarm stage is like a "call
to arms" that is prewired into the nervous system. This wiring is a legacy[7]
inherited[8]
from our earliest ancestors who faced many potential threats in their
daily lives. A glimpse of a suspicious-looking object or a rustling sound in
the bush might have cued them to the presence of a predator, triggering
the fight-or-flight response, which helped prepare them to defend themselves
against a threat. But the fight-or-flight response didn't last long. If they survived
the immediate threat, their bodies returned to their normal state. If
they failed, they simply perished[9].
6 Death may occur within the
first few hours or days of exposure[10]
to a stressor that is so damaging (such as extreme cold) that its persistence
is incompatible[11]
with life. But if survival is possible and the stressor continues, the
body attempts to adapt to it as best it can. Selye called this part of
the GAS the resistance[12]
stage (also called adaptation stage). During this stage, the body attempts to
return to a normal biological state by restoring spent energy and
repairing damage. Yet arousal[13]
remains high, though not as high as during the alarm reaction. This prolonged
bodily arousal may be accompanied by such emotional reactions as anger,
fatigue, and irritability.
7 If the stressor persists, the
body may enter the final stage of the GAS—the exhaustion[14]
stage. Heart rate and respiration now decrease to conserve bodily resources.
Yet with continued exposure to stress, the body's resources may become
seriously depleted and the individual may develop what Selye called
"diseases of adaptation"—stress-related disorders such as kidney
disease, heart disease, allergic conditions, digestive disorders, and depression.
Some people are hardier than others, but relentless, intense stress can eventually
exhaust anyone. Figure 15.2 shows the changes that occur in the body's level of
resistance across the three stages of the GAS.
8 A sensitive alarm system may have
helped our ancient ancestors survive many of the physical threats they
faced. Yet the alarm reaction was designed not to last very long. Our
ancestors either escaped a predator or fought it off; within seconds, minutes
perhaps, the threat was over and their bodies returned to their normal,
pre-aroused state. The stresses of contemporary life are more persistent.
Our ancestors didn't need to juggle[15]
school and jobs, fight daily traffic jams, or face the daily grind of
working a double shift to make ends meet. The reality for many of us
today is that the stressful demands of everyday life may repeatedly activate[16]
our alarm reaction day after day, year after year. Over time, persistent stress
may tax our bodies' resources to the point where we become more susceptible to
stress-related disorders[17].
From
Psychology Concepts and Applications, by Jeffrey S. Nevid, Houghton
Mifflin Company, pp. 598-600
EAP Reading Skills Activities Overview Presentation Main Page
[1] re·sponse A reaction, that an organism may have in response to a specific cause, mechanism, or stimulus.
[2] a·dap·ta·tion Something that is changed or changes so as to become suitable to a new or special situation.
[3] a·larm A sudden fear caused by the realization of danger.
[4] fight-or-flight A set of physiological (body) changes, such as increases in heart rate, arterial blood pressure, and blood glucose, initiated… to mobilize body systems in response to stress.
[5] phy·si·o·lo·gi·cal Being in a part of or typical of the normal functioning of a living organism
[6] trig·ger Cause.
[7] le·ga·cy Something handed down from an ancestor. In this case it is a genetic trait.
[8] in·her·i·ted Biology. To receive (a characteristic) from one's parents by genetic transmission.
[9] per·ishedTo die or be destroyed.
[10] ex·po·sure The condition of being exposed to forces of nature so as to cause harm.
[11] in·com·pat·i·ble Not able to exist together at the same time. Extreme stress can cause death.
[12] re·sis·tance A force that tends to oppose..
[13] a·rou·sal A state of being stired up or excited.
[14] ex·haus·tion The state of being exhausted; extreme fatigue. Lacking any energy or ability to resist.
[15] jug·gle To have difficulty holding; to balance insecurely, to keep going under a demanding situation.
[16] ac·ti·vate To set in motion; make active or more active.
[17] dis·or·der An ailment (or sickness) that affects the function of mind or body.