Stages of GAS. 1: Alarm. Upon perceiving a stressor, the body reacts with a “fight-or-flight” response and the sympathetic nervous system is ...HomeRESOURCES:ARTICLESGENERALADAPTATIONSYNDROME(GAS)STAGESBACKTOARTICLESGeneralAdaptationSyndrome(GAS)StagesHollyLucille,ND,RNPRINTSHAREHansSelye,MD,PhD(1907-1982),the“FatherofStress”,wasaHungarianendocrinologistandthefirsttogiveascientificexplanationforbiological“stress”.Heactuallyborrowedtheterm“stress”fromphysicstodescribeanorganism’sphysiologicalresponsetoperceivedstressfuleventsintheenvironment.“Everystressleavesanindeliblescar,andtheorganismpaysforitssurvivalafterastressfulsituationbybecomingalittleolder.” -HansSelye,MD,PhDHeeloquentlyexplainedhisstressmodel,basedonphysiologyandpsychobiology,astheGeneralAdaptationSyndrome(GAS),statingthataneventthatthreatensanorganism’swellbeing,astressor,leadstoathree-stagebodilyresponse:StagesofGAS1:AlarmUponperceivingastressor,thebodyreactswitha“fight-or-flight”responseandthesympatheticnervoussystemisstimulatedasthebody’sresourcesaremobilizedtomeetthethreatordanger.2:ResistanceThebodyresistsandcompensatesastheparasympatheticnervoussystemattemptstoreturnmanyphysiologicalfunctionstonormallevelswhilebodyfocusesresourcesagainstthestressorandremainsonalert.3:ExhaustionIfthestressororstressorscontinuebeyondthebody’scapacity,theresourcesbecomeexhaustedandthebodyissusceptibletodiseaseanddeath.EvolvingtheDefinitionofStressAsIentermy14thyearofpracticeIamconvincedthatthetraditionalofdefinitionofstress,simplygearedtowardsaphysicaleventoramentalstaterequiringthebodytorespondjustdoesn’tcutitanymore.Weliveinasocietywheretherearestressfulinfluencescomingatusfromalldifferentdirections.Thesestressorsaremultipleandconfounded.Makingtheissueworse,isthewayIseepatientschoosingtorespondtotheirperceptionofstress.Theincreaseuseofalcohol,drugs,cigarettes,sugarandenergydrinksinresponsetodealingwitheverydaystressorsiscreatinganevenmorestressfulsituationinthebody.Whetherthestress,perceivedasgoodorbad,oritispassi