ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Psychology => Topic started by: Camo on August 31, 2011, 11:25:40 am
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Can anyone supply me with a good example of the general adaption syndrome that includes the alarm, resistance and exhaustion phase?
Thanks in advance.
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These aren't my own but I thought they might help :)
1. I definitely have an example of a humorous stressor. My cousin and i both have the same last name, so it gets frustrating at times because we are always confused for different school related subjects. Needless to say, my cousin is not the most well behaved individual, so sometimes i will get called down to the office for an unknown reason. THIS IS A STRESSOR FOR A GEEKY INDIVIDUAL! i always think i am in deep trouble for something i am unaware of. My alarm phase would probably be that moment when my homeroom teacher tells me to go down to the office in an enraged voice (thinking that i committed mortal sin or something). My heart starts to beat very fast, and i feel faint as my legs give way underneath me. i most certainly turn about 8 shades of red because i am flushed from anxiety and increased blood flow to the brain. in this phase, i am basically just comprehending the situation, and my body is getting ready to "fight" by triggering my Sympathetic Nervous System.
Next comes the Resistance. As I walk down the hall way, I feel my body shaking. I don’t know how accurate this is, but I do know that acetylcholine release is increased and that ACTH controls muscle movements. This release from the pituitary gland may serve as explanations as to why I can barely stand as I relentlessly continue my journey to the main office. Also, as I am walking, I notice that my appetite is suppressed and even the thought of a bagel or a toaster strudel makes me want to vomit. I don’t know but I am guessing that frequently feeling this way may be what causes stomach ulcers from undue stress. As I violently swing the door open to the main office, I am told to sit and wait for Mr. Koch to call for me. The hormones keep coming from the pituitary gland however, creating an extreme increase in energy and anxiety. I researched and found that this indeed upsets my body’s homeostasis, and I can REALLY AGREE. I feel off key and extremely uncomfortable as I await my fate in the office.
Finally comes the exhaustion stage. My stress reaches its climax as I enter Mr. Koch’s office, but it soon subsides immediately after I find out it was my cousin who he truly wanted to freak out on. Regardless of my sudden relaxation, the hormones my body has just released remain in my system, causing me harm throughout the day. I know for a fact that when something like this happens to me in the morning, I actually get what my mother so correctly calls a “stress headache.” Doing research I found out that this is indeed a side effect of the previous two stages of the General Adaptation Syndrome.
2. The General Adaptation Syndrome reminds me of the typical jitters one gets before giving a speech, only, it can occur at other times. I believe that certain calming techniques for giving speeches could come in to play to reduce the harmful effects of the General Adaptation Syndrome. Taking deep breaths to calm myself may be a way to lower blood pressure and trigger the parasympathetic nervous system. Also, simply releasing the stress in another way may work in this “ancy” scenario. I know that when I get excited, jumping up and down or fidgeting really helps me shake back to calmness. Maybe this could work out for my office jitters. For a quick fix, I could just ask my homeroom teacher to call the office and make sure it is me who is in trouble, but that really doesn’t offer remedies for the General Adaptation Syndrome. I believe the ideas above would serve as the best explanation.
Hope that helps :)
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Thanks, so much love, I have to do a speech tomorrow on it and this will tie in nicely. :)