The Phases Of Stress, From The Alarm To Exhaustion

The phases of stress are different stages or levels in the evolution of this problem. It must be said that this affectation is dynamic: it mutates, it changes. Many times, it imperceptibly begins to progress to more serious stages, which can even be life-threatening.

There is no doubt that stress is one of the great evils of our time. The difficult thing now is to find someone who does not have a certain level of distress or sustained anxiety. The matter is serious, as this problem can lead to serious individual and collective consequences.

We live in a world of stressed people, mainly in big cities. And stress is contagious. So not only individual concerns count , but to them we must add the discomfort of those around us. It is not easy to handle these situations. But, to achieve this, the first thing is to know how to identify the phases of stress and determine if we are in any of them.

Alarm, the first of the stress phases

Generally speaking, stress occurs when we encounter a situation that involves some threat or risk. Faced with this, the normal reaction of a human being is to prepare for attack or flight.

This is accompanied by a series of physiological manifestations, among which the sudden release of adrenaline and cortisol stands out. The latter is properly the stress hormone. In the long term, the frequent production of these hormones leads to serious problems.

The resistance

The second of the phases of stress is resistance. Once a stressful stimulus has been received, a biological mechanism called “homeostasis ” is activated . It is a self-protection and self-preservation mechanism, by which the body seeks to regain balance.

However, sometimes the stressful stimulus remains, either real or imagined. Therefore, the organism cannot return to its state of balance and the first symptoms of stress itself begin to appear. These include fatigue, trouble sleeping, irritability, and general malaise.

Exhaustion phase

If the problem continues for a long time, you enter the third of the stress phases. At this stage we are already talking about a more serious problem. All the above symptoms remain, but they are more permanent and intense.

Most often, physical illnesses themselves appear in this phase. The most common is that the immune system is noticeably weakened and this leads to a viral or bacterial infection. It is also common to have migraines, muscle aches in different parts of the body and a very strong emotional stagnation.

Fighting stress in each of the phases

Each of the phases of stress demands different management. In the first stage, the important thing is to define and control the effect of the stimulus perceived as  threatening. Once the person experiences this sudden and intense fear, they must pause to become aware of the situation.

It is important to note that there are real dangers as well as imaginary dangers. The most difficult to tackle are the latter. They are also the ones that have the longest permanence and cause the most harmful effects. That is why it is important to stop and define the limits of that risk or danger. Establish how and to what extent it can affect us. Also breathe, drink a glass of water and wait a moment for the body to stabilize.

In the second of the stress phases, that risk has already been installed as a more or less fixed stimulus. Again the important thing is to become aware. If it is not possible to determine what exactly is feared, it does not matter. Stress itself may be blocking that capacity for self-evaluation. The important thing is to take action. The most essential are: exercise and dedicate more time to rest. Both factors will help to overcome the problem.

If someone is in the last phase of stress, the matter becomes more complex. In those cases, the most advisable thing is to go to a psychotherapy. It is likely impossible to clarify your mind and emotions on your own. Help is required. We should not wait long to request this psychological support, since stress can have consequences that are as important as they are negative.