Health Psychology: General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Introduction

• General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS): A model developed to understand how people cope with stressors and the implications of failing to cope, leading to potential physical health problems.

Understanding the Model

• Graph Representation:
  • X-axis: Stress levels
  • Y-axis: Resistance or coping ability
  • As stress increases, psychological and physiological systems engage to cope.
  • There is a point where stress exceeds the ability to cope, resulting in inadequate physiological responses.
  • Continual physiological response even when stress is unmanageable can become harmful.
  • Inability to cope may lead to burnout and intense physiological reactions.

Three Stages of GAS

1. Alarm Stage:

   • Initiated by the "fight or flight" response.
   • Body prepares to react with sympathetic nervous system activation.
   • Changes include increased blood flow, adrenaline release, and other physiological preparations.
   • Successful response may neutralize the stressor; if not, the body remains hyper-aroused.

2. Resistance Stage:

   • Occurs if the stressor persists and is not resolved.
   • The body remains in a state of physiological arousal but fails to effectively cope.
   • Chronic activation of physiological responses without resolution leads to inefficiencies.

3. Exhaustion Stage:

   • Persistent stress leads to depletion of physiological energy and resources.
   • Continued hyper-arousal depletes energy and can increase the risk of physical health issues.
   • Chronic exposure to stressors strains the body and elevates the risk of health problems.

Implications

• Health Risks:
  • Prolonged stress and ineffective coping increase susceptibility to physical health complications.
  • Understanding the stages and responses in GAS can help in developing strategies to manage stress and reduce health risks.