ON EDGEN: The three steps in the general adaptation syndrome are alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. Alarm is the fight-or-flight response. Your hormones surge, breathing becomes rapid and shallow, glucose is released, your heart rate increases, and your pupils dilate. The second part is resistance, which includes either fighting, where a stressor is taken head on, or flight, where a stressor is avoided. It includes how your body uses stored energy, hormones, minerals, and glucose to react. The final stage is exhaustion, also known as burn out. After prolonged stress, exhaustion kicks in and the ability to manage stress becomes low. At this point, the system of the body can become compromised due to prolonged exposure to the hormones involved with stress.
