What Is General Adaptation Syndrome?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStagesSignsIdentifying GASAssociated ComplicationsManaging GASTakeaway

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Stages

Signs

Identifying GAS

Associated Complications

Managing GAS

Takeaway

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These changes include:

At a Glance

3 Stages of General Adaptation Syndrome

General adaptation syndrome occurs in three stages. In each of these stages, your body reacts in different ways. The physiological changes your body goes through during this process can have a long-term negative effect.

Below are the three stages of GAS explained.

Alarm Reaction Stage

Resistance Stage

The resistance stage occurs after the reaction stage. During this stage, your body tries to thwart the changes that occurred during the reaction stage employing the parasympathetic nervous system. It typically occurs when whatever was triggeringyour stresshas stopped.

If you remain stressed, the reaction stage will persist. In the resistance stage, your body begins to lower your blood pressure and heart rate. It also reduces the amount of adrenaline and cortisol being produced.

Your body, however, remains on alert in this stage and can easily switch back to the reaction stage if the stressor persists. At this stage, your body is simply trying to recover from the shock of the alarm reaction stage.

Exhaustion Stage

Stress puts your body through a toll, and the exhaustion stage occurs afterprolonged stress. You experience this stage after your body has gone through an extended period of stress. Here, even if the stressor persists, your body is too depleted to continue to combat it. This is the riskiest stage of general adaptation syndrome, as you are most prone to developing health conditions here.

Signs of General Adaptation Syndrome

During each of the three stages of general adaptation syndrome, your body exhibits different signs.

During the reaction stage, your body reacts in the following ways.

If there is persistent stress, in the resistance stage your body may exhibit the following:

The exhaustion stage leaves your body feeling unequipped to ward off stress. You are susceptible to developing stress-related conditions at this stage. Your body might exhibit the following symptoms:

Identifying General Adaptation Syndrome

Hans Selye, a researcher, and scientist came up with the concept of general adaptation syndrome. He used the term to define the physical changes the body goes through when it’s stressed. He discovered this while experimenting on lab rats.

In his study, he noticed that the rats went through specific psychological changes during the experiment when exposed to physical stressors like extreme temperatures.

However, many other things could also trigger stress and they include:

Stress is responsible for general adaptation syndrome occurring. Although Hans Selye has only identified physical stressors in his initial experiment, any type of stress could cause GAS to occur.

During the first stage of general adaptation syndrome, your body goes into“fight or flight” mode. This mode is essential to protect yourself during a stressful or dangerous situation. You get a burst of energy that helps you think more critically and help effectively tackle the stressful situation at hand.

Complications of General Adaptation Syndrome

While general adaptation syndrome isn’t a condition that needs to be diagnosed or treated, it’s primarily a description of what happens to your body under stress. Being in a stressful state for an extended period can cause medical complications. You could develop a host of physical and medical conditions.

Some of the most common conditions that have been linked to experiencing prolonged levels of either physical or mental stress include:

Managing General Adaptation Syndrome

Because stress can take such a serious toll on your health, having a toolbox of effective stress-relief strategies is vital. Finding ways tocope with prolonged stresswill help prevent your body from going into the exhaustion stage.

The exhaustion stage is the riskiest stage of general adaptation syndrome.

During this stage, your immune system is weakened, and you are at an increased risk of developing health conditions such as high blood pressure, strokes, and heart diseases.

There’s no one way to manage stress. You’ll have to identify your stressors and attempt to get rid of them or minimize them. A few tested and tried techniques people have used to manage stress for centuries include:

Eat a Balanced Diet

What you eatplays a significant role in how you feel. If you fuel your body with unhealthy foods, it will be ill-equipped to handle stressful situations. Research has found that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is linked to lower stress.

Exercise More Regularly

Research shows that exercising regularly can help to reduce your stress levels.If you are new to exercising or dislike going to the gym, taking daily walks around your neighborhood is a great way to start moving.

Practice Breathing Exercises

Taking deep and controlled breaths when in a stressful situation can help you relax and cope better. Research has shown thatbreathing exercisescan be an effective way to reduce stress levels. Two types that can be particularly helpful are controlled slow breathing and diaphragmatic breathing.

Identify Your Triggers

The first step to managing your stress isidentifying what triggersit in the first place. This could be a highly demanding job,communicating with an estranged relative, or going to a specific location. Identifying what triggers your stress can help you get rid of them.

Write Down Your Feelings

Journalingis an often overlooked way of dealing with stress. Writing down your feelings and coming to terms with them can help you cope better.

Utilize Relaxation Techniques

Practicing other proven relaxation techniques can also help you to better manage general adaptation syndrome. Useful strategies can include:

18 Effective Stress Relief Strategies

General adaptation syndrome describes your body’s normal response to stress, including bothgoodand bad stress. The three stages of general adaptation are alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

While your body can usually return to a normal, relaxed state, spending too much time under stress can lead to serious health problems. That’s why finding ways to manage stress effectively is so important. If you are struggling to manage feelings of stress, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.

If you or a loved one are struggling with stress, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with stress, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Can Online Therapy Help with Stress?

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Selye H.The general adaptation syndrome and the diseases of adaptation.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 1946;6(2):117-230.McCarty R.The alarm phase and the general adaptation syndrome.In: Stress: Concepts, Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior. Elsevier; 2016:13-19.Selye H.Stress and the general adaptation syndrome.British Medical Journal. 1950;1(4667):1383-1392.American Psychological Association.How stress affects your health.Salleh MR.Life event, stress and illness.Malays J Med Sci. 2008;15(4):9-18.Radavelli-Bagatini S, Blekkenhorst LC, Sim M, et al.Fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with perceived stress across the adult lifespan.Clin Nutr. 2021;40(5):2860-2867. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.043Schultchen D, Reichenberger J, Mittl T, et al.Bidirectional relationship of stress and affect with physical activity and healthy eating.Br J Health Psychol. 2019;24(2):315-333. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12355Banushi B, Brendle M, Ragnhildstveit A, et al. Breathwork Interventions for Adults with Clinically Diagnosed Anxiety Disorders: A Scoping Review.Brain Sci. 2023;13(2):256. doi:10.3390/brainsci13020256Vukčević Marković M, Bjekić J, Priebe S.Effectiveness of expressive writing in the reduction of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial.Front Psychol. 2020;11:587282. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587282

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Selye H.The general adaptation syndrome and the diseases of adaptation.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 1946;6(2):117-230.McCarty R.The alarm phase and the general adaptation syndrome.In: Stress: Concepts, Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior. Elsevier; 2016:13-19.Selye H.Stress and the general adaptation syndrome.British Medical Journal. 1950;1(4667):1383-1392.American Psychological Association.How stress affects your health.Salleh MR.Life event, stress and illness.Malays J Med Sci. 2008;15(4):9-18.Radavelli-Bagatini S, Blekkenhorst LC, Sim M, et al.Fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with perceived stress across the adult lifespan.Clin Nutr. 2021;40(5):2860-2867. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.043Schultchen D, Reichenberger J, Mittl T, et al.Bidirectional relationship of stress and affect with physical activity and healthy eating.Br J Health Psychol. 2019;24(2):315-333. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12355Banushi B, Brendle M, Ragnhildstveit A, et al. Breathwork Interventions for Adults with Clinically Diagnosed Anxiety Disorders: A Scoping Review.Brain Sci. 2023;13(2):256. doi:10.3390/brainsci13020256Vukčević Marković M, Bjekić J, Priebe S.Effectiveness of expressive writing in the reduction of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial.Front Psychol. 2020;11:587282. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587282

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Selye H.The general adaptation syndrome and the diseases of adaptation.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 1946;6(2):117-230.McCarty R.The alarm phase and the general adaptation syndrome.In: Stress: Concepts, Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior. Elsevier; 2016:13-19.Selye H.Stress and the general adaptation syndrome.British Medical Journal. 1950;1(4667):1383-1392.American Psychological Association.How stress affects your health.Salleh MR.Life event, stress and illness.Malays J Med Sci. 2008;15(4):9-18.Radavelli-Bagatini S, Blekkenhorst LC, Sim M, et al.Fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with perceived stress across the adult lifespan.Clin Nutr. 2021;40(5):2860-2867. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.043Schultchen D, Reichenberger J, Mittl T, et al.Bidirectional relationship of stress and affect with physical activity and healthy eating.Br J Health Psychol. 2019;24(2):315-333. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12355Banushi B, Brendle M, Ragnhildstveit A, et al. Breathwork Interventions for Adults with Clinically Diagnosed Anxiety Disorders: A Scoping Review.Brain Sci. 2023;13(2):256. doi:10.3390/brainsci13020256Vukčević Marković M, Bjekić J, Priebe S.Effectiveness of expressive writing in the reduction of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial.Front Psychol. 2020;11:587282. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587282

Selye H.The general adaptation syndrome and the diseases of adaptation.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 1946;6(2):117-230.

McCarty R.The alarm phase and the general adaptation syndrome.In: Stress: Concepts, Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior. Elsevier; 2016:13-19.

Selye H.Stress and the general adaptation syndrome.British Medical Journal. 1950;1(4667):1383-1392.

American Psychological Association.How stress affects your health.

Salleh MR.Life event, stress and illness.Malays J Med Sci. 2008;15(4):9-18.

Radavelli-Bagatini S, Blekkenhorst LC, Sim M, et al.Fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with perceived stress across the adult lifespan.Clin Nutr. 2021;40(5):2860-2867. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.043

Schultchen D, Reichenberger J, Mittl T, et al.Bidirectional relationship of stress and affect with physical activity and healthy eating.Br J Health Psychol. 2019;24(2):315-333. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12355

Banushi B, Brendle M, Ragnhildstveit A, et al. Breathwork Interventions for Adults with Clinically Diagnosed Anxiety Disorders: A Scoping Review.Brain Sci. 2023;13(2):256. doi:10.3390/brainsci13020256

Vukčević Marković M, Bjekić J, Priebe S.Effectiveness of expressive writing in the reduction of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial.Front Psychol. 2020;11:587282. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587282

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