The 3 Phases of Stress
Doctor Hans Selye dedicated his life to studying endocrinology (hormones) and stress. In the medical community he’s actually called “the father of stress,” having been the first to make the connection between stress and disease, realizing that there were very similar symptoms connecting patients, no matter the disease.
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Dr. Selye defined stress as a “nonspecific response of the body to any demand.”
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He also coined what’s called “General Adaptation Syndrome,” which is how the body tries to adapt to stress, both short-term and long-term, and has 3 distinct phases:
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🚨ALARM. This is the body’s normal response to stress, utilizing its resources to maintain stability. The adrenal glands are working hard to:
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🔹Mobilize and create glucose (cell fuel)
🔹Numb pain
🔹Increase alertness
🔹Increase blood flow to primary organs
🔹Suppress the immune system
🔹Halt digestion
🔹Halt reproduction
🔹Etc
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This stage is meant to be very temporary, but can last as long as your resources (nutrition, rest, lifestyle) can. For some, it’s a long time and for others, not so much.
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↘️RESISTANCE. If stress continues, your body will try to adapt to its “new normal.” The body tries to compensate and symptoms start to appear, like:
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🔹Cold hands and feet
🔹Constipation
🔹Sick often
🔹Acne
🔹Hair thinning or loss
🔹Weight gain
🔹Muscle loss
🔹PMS
🔹Hot flashes
This can last for YEARS, even DECADES.
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🗑️EXHAUSTION. This is the DISEASE stage. The body is so depleted that it cannot adapt. This is where we see:
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🔹Autoimmunity
🔹Heart disease
🔹Deep hormonal imbalance
🔹Digestive disorders
🔹Infertility
🔹Depression
🔹Diabetes
🔹And more
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This is where you don’t want to be. Unfortunately, a lot of people come to me looking for help in this stage. And I myself have been there.
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Stress can be driven be a number of things...more obvious ones like emotional and financial stress to not-so-obvious ones like toxins and not eating enough/right. This is why focusing on you as a whole and the environment you're living in is so much more effective for healing than chasing symptoms with “this” supplement or “that” diet.
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Which stage of stress are you in?
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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.
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References
East West Healing. (2014). Do you have “Adrenal Fatigue?” Part 1. Retrieved from: https://eastwesthealing.com/adrenal-fatigue/.
Martin, L. (2017). EXPLORING THE ALARM STAGE OF GENERAL ADAPTION SYNDROME. Retrieved from: https://www.integrativepro.com/Resources/Integrative-Blog/2017/Exploring-Alarm-Stage.
Selye, Hans. (1978). The Stress of Life. McGraw Hill: Global.
Tan, S.Y. Yip, A. (2018). Hans Selye (1907–1982): Founder of the stress theory. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5915631/.
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