{"id":125292,"date":"2022-04-12T11:00:11","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T10:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=125292"},"modified":"2023-03-09T13:34:45","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T13:34:45","slug":"general-adaptation-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/general-adaptation-syndrome.htm","title":{"rendered":"General Adaptation Syndrome – How to Know How Stressed You Are"},"content":{"rendered":"
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photo by Rodnae Production for Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n

By Andrea M. Darcy<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Not sure if you are stressed or<\/strong> managing? The body doesn\u2019t lie, goes the saying, and when it comes to stress \u2018general adaptation syndrome<\/strong>\u2019 is a tell all.<\/p>\n

What is general adaptation syndrome?<\/h2>\n

General adaptation syndrome, or \u2018GAS\u2019, is a fancy way of<\/strong> describing the biological chain of reactions that stress triggers in your body. The term is attributed to endocrinologist Hans Selye.<\/a> Way back in the 1930s he noticed the stress the poor rats in his laboratory were going through had similarities with those his patients when a medical student did. It had a predictable physical pattern.<\/p>\n

And your body will experience this pattern of physical symptoms even if it\u2019s not a bad stress you are going through. So losing your job<\/a> could set it all off, but so something like the positive stress of getting married<\/a> to the love of your life<\/a>.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Why should I care about GAS?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s a useful way to tell if you are more stressed than you realise.<\/strong> If you are trying to convince yourself you are \u2018fine\u2019, and things are \u2018under control\u2019, general adaptation syndrome can help you realise if that is not true. You can then take steps to lower your stress<\/a>, such as by\u00a0delegating things<\/a>, or saying no to people<\/a>. Or realise it\u2019s time to reach out get some support<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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photo by Shvets production for Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n

Knowing the symptoms of general adaptation syndrome can also help lower our stress<\/strong>. We won\u2019t mistake them for<\/strong> some kind of illness, and won’t \u2018stress about our stress\u2019.<\/p>\n

Finally, GAS can show us if our attempts to lower our stress have worked<\/strong>, as we will find ourselves not entering the final stage of the process.<\/p>\n

The three stages of general adaptation syndrome<\/h2>\n

The three identified stages of general adaptation syndrome are<\/strong> alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.<\/p>\n

Alarm<\/h3>\n

Also called the ‘reaction’ phase. This is down to our<\/strong> primal brain, which unfortunately has not kept up with the times. It\u00a0 can react to a colleague being snarky<\/a> with us much the same effect as if a bear was attacking us in the woods. It \u2018sounds the alarm\u2019 with the infamous \u2018fight or flight\u2019 response<\/a>, now called \u2018fight flight or freeze\u2019 as it turns some of us go for the deer in the headlights response<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And fight or flight leaves our \u2018sympathetic nervous system\u2019 being triggered.<\/strong> This system manages how our stomach, heart, muscles, and bladder\/intestines get on. (So if you ever wondered why stress makes you need the loo, there\u2019s your answer.)<\/p>\n

Alarm stage symptoms are short. A few seconds, sometimes longer. <\/strong>They are the precursors to the more well-known stress symptoms, that moment where you feel like you\u2019ve been given a shot of something or drank ten coffees. Symptoms include:<\/p>\n