General adaptation syndrome phases?

• A. Immediate Reaction, Psychological Exhaustion, and Recovery
• B. Delayed Reaction, Alarm Response, and Physical Recovery
• C. Alarm Response, Reaction and Resistance, and Recovery
• D. Reaction and Resistance, Euphoria, and Physical Exhaustion

Answer: (C)

General Adaptation Syndrome describes a three-stage response to sustained stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. At the outset, the alarm reaction mobilizes the body's resources for a fight-or-flight response, preparing you to deal with the threat. If the stress continues, the resistance stage kicks in, in which the body tries to cope by adapting and maintaining balance, using energy stores to sustain functioning. When stress persists and resources become depleted, the exhaustion stage sets in, making you more vulnerable to illness and fatigue because the body's defenses are worn down.

The best answer mirrors this sequence: an initial alarm response, a subsequent phase of resistance, and a return toward balance or recovery after the stress wanes. Although recovery isn’t typically listed as one of the core stages in every description, this option captures the progression from alarm to resistance and then toward restoration, aligning with the well-known progression of GAS. The other choices mix in terms like immediate or delayed reactions or use terms like euphoria or psychological exhaustion that don’t fit the established stages.