There are three phases of stress -according to the work of Hans Selye in 1936-through which the body goes after encountering real or perceived threats: alarm, resistance and exhaustion, as well as the absent phase in the response to stress.
During the evolution of human beings, our survival has depended on the ability to overcome threatening situations for our lives, from being chased by predatory animals to recovering from diseases. But how do we become aware that a situation is so dangerous that we must adapt and survive it??
Often times, we realize that a situation is threatening because our heart rate increases; one of the side effects of stress. A Vienna-born endocrinologist named Hans Selye (1907-1982) was the first scientist to point out these side effects and collectively identify them as the results of stress, a term we routinely use today, but didn't actually exist until recently. less than a hundred years.
Selye introduced the general adaptation syndrome model in 1936, showing the effects that stress has on the body in three phases. In his work, Selye, the father of stress research, developed the theory that stress is the main cause of many diseases, as chronic stress causes permanent long-term chemical changes.
Selye observed that the body responds to any external biological source of stress in a predictable biological pattern in an attempt to restore the body's internal homeostasis. This initial hormonal reaction is the response known as "fight or flight", whose objective is to deal with the source of stress very quickly, almost automatically..
The process by which our body struggles to maintain balance is what Selye called the General Adaptation Syndrome.
Pressures, tensions and other stressors can greatly influence our metabolism. Selye determined that there are limited supplies of the energy that we use to cope with stress. This amount decreases with continuous exposure to the elements that cause us stress..
Going through a series of stages, our body works to regain the stability that the source of stress has taken away from us. According to the general adaptation syndrome model, the adaptive response that humans have to stress develops in three different phases:
Our first reaction to stress is to recognize the danger and prepare to deal with the threat, known as the "fight or flight response." The body "decides" quickly if it is more viable to flee or fight with the stimulus posed by the threat, a reaction recorded in our organism since the beginning of the species.
An activation occurs in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a part of the endocrine system that controls reactions to stress and regulates various functions of the body such as digestion and the immune system. The central nervous system and the adrenal glands also undergo activation.
During this phase, the main stress hormones, cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine, are released to provide immediate energy. This energy can have long-term damaging effects if it is not used repeatedly in physical activity that requires fight or flight..
An excess of adrenaline results, in the long term, in an increase in blood pressure that can damage the blood vessels of the heart and brain; a risk factor that predisposes to heart attacks and strokes.
Also, the excessive production of the hormone cortisol, which is released in this phase, can cause damage to cells and muscle tissues. Some stress-related disorders derived from this excessive cortisol production include cardiovascular conditions, gastric ulcers, and high blood sugar levels..
In this phase, everything is working as it should: you detect a stressful stimulus, your body alarms you with a sudden jolt of hormonal changes and you are immediately equipped with the necessary energy to manage the threat.
The organism switches to the second phase when it is assumed that the source of stress has been resolved. Homeostasis processes begin to restore balance, leading to a period of recovery and repair.
Stress hormones often return to their initial levels, but defenses are reduced and the adaptive energy supplies we use to deal with stress are diminished. If the stressful situation persists, the body adapts with a continuous effort of resistance and remains in a state of activation.
Problems begin to manifest when you find yourself repeating this process too often, without getting a full recovery. Ultimately, this process evolves into the final phase.
In this last phase, stress has been present for some time. Your body's ability to resist has been lost because the energy supplies for adaptation have been depleted. Known as overload, burnout, adrenal fatigue or dysfunction, this is the phase in which stress levels rise and remain high.
The adaptation process is over and, as you might expect, this stage of the general adaptation syndrome is the most dangerous for your health. Chronic stress can cause damage to nerve cells in the body's tissues and organs..
The hypothalamus section of the brain is particularly vulnerable to these processes. It is very likely that, under conditions of chronic stress, thinking and memory are impaired, developing a tendency to depressive and anxious symptoms.
There may also be negative influences on the autonomic nervous system, contributing to higher blood pressure, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other stress-related illnesses..
The key element of this stress response that is missing from our stress paradigm today is recovery..
There is usually a recovery time after being chased by a predatory animal, but it is more rare that we have a compensation period after recurring events in our daily lives such as traffic jams, relationship problems, having patterns inadequate sleep, problems at work, financial problems ...
In fact, these types of stressors can be linked each day causing the stress response to be “on” continuously..
In 2007, the American Psychological Association (APA) conducted its annual national survey to examine the state of stress in the country. The main findings were dubbed the "Portrait of a National Pressure Cooker", with nearly 80% of respondents reporting experiences of physical symptoms due to stress..
The stress of contemporary days is to blame for many of the complaints that are seen on a daily basis in psychological consultations.
The progressive stages of the general adaptation syndrome show clearly where being under conditions of chronic and excessive stress can lead us. However, we have the option of keeping these processes under control by, for example, some relaxation techniques or herbal supplements..
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