Which General Adaptation Syndrome Stage Makes a Person Most Prone to Illness?

An example of the exhaustion stage can be seen in the case of a parent whose child has been missing for three months. The prolonged and intense stress from this situation could cause the parent to suffer a physical collapse, such as fainting from exhaustion, or to develop a serious and irreversible illness.

Example of General Adaptation Syndrome Exhaustion Stage: Missing Child

The exhaustion stage is the final phase of the General Adaptation Syndrome, occurring when exposure to a stressor is prolonged. In this stage, the body's capacity to adapt is depleted, and its resistance to stress is exhausted due to the cumulative physical wear on its tissues and organs. This depletion can lead to severe health consequences, including illness, disease, permanent physical damage, and potentially death.

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Developed by endocrinologist Hans Selye, the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) describes the body's consistent physiological reactions to stress. The theory posits that this response occurs in three stages, regardless of the specific stressor: the alarm reaction, where initial fight-or-flight reactions begin; the resistance stage, where the body adapts to continuing stress; and the exhaustion stage, where the body's adaptive energy is depleted and stress begins to take a physical toll.

The General Adaptation Syndrome Theory

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

The resistance stage occurs when exposure to a stressor is prolonged. In this phase, the body has adapted to the stressor and the initial shock of the alarm reaction has subsided. However, the body remains on high alert, prepared to respond to the stressor, though with less intensity than during the alarm stage.

General Adaption Syndrome: Resistance Stage

In his foundational research on stress, Hans Selye identified a distinct trio of physiological changes in rats subjected to prolonged stressors. These observable signs consisted of adrenal gland enlargement, shrinkage of the thymus and lymph nodes, and the formation of stomach ulcerations.

Physiological Signs of Prolonged Stress in Selye's Rat Studies

A central principle of Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome is that the body's physiological response to stress is nonspecific. This means that the same pattern of coordinated reactions is triggered regardless of the particular type of stressor. For instance, the body reacts similarly whether the stress comes from extreme cold, physical injury, or excessive muscular exercise.

Nonspecificity of the General Adaptation Syndrome

The alarm reaction is the initial stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome, representing the body's immediate physiological response to a perceived threat. This phase is characterized by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers the release of adrenaline from the adrenal glands. This hormonal surge initiates the fight-or-flight response, leading to physiological changes like an accelerated heart rate and increased respiration. Concurrently, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis also becomes active to help manage the stressor.

General Adaptation Syndrome: Alarm Reaction

The General Adaptation Syndrome is often illustrated with a graph that plots stress resistance against time. The horizontal x-axis represents the duration of exposure to a stressor, while the vertical y-axis represents the level of stress resistance. The curve on the graph demonstrates the progression through the three stages: an initial dip during the alarm reaction, a sustained high level during resistance, and a final decline into exhaustion, showing that prolonged stress eventually depletes the body's ability to cope.

Graphical Representation of the General Adaptation Syndrome

General Adaptation Syndrome: Exhaustion Stage

Despite its limitations, Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome model has had a significant influence on the field of stress. Its primary contribution is providing a general framework that explains the mechanism by which stress can cause physical damage and lead to disease.

Impact of the General Adaptation Syndrome Theory

Prolonged or repeated exposure to stressors, as conceptualized by the General Adaptation Syndrome, has been implicated as a contributing factor in the development of several serious health disorders. Specific conditions linked to this type of chronic stress include hypertension and coronary artery disease.

Link Between Prolonged Stress and Disease

A primary limitation of the General Adaptation Syndrome model is its conceptualization as a purely response-based theory of stress. It concentrates exclusively on the body's physiological reactions and largely overlooks the role of psychological factors, such as an individual's cognitive appraisal and interpretation of threatening situations.

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