Compare between Fight or flight response and General Adaptation Syndrom.

Fight or Flight Response:

Cannon initially termed stress as the emergency response and further elaborated that stress had its source in fighting emotions (Nelson and Quick, 2012). Cannon put forth the fight or flight response with regard to stress. 

According to Cannon stress is an outcome of an environmental demand that was external and that led to an imbalance in the natural steady state of an individual.

He further stated that body encompasses natural defence mechanisms that play a role in maintaining the homeostasis or the natural steady state of an individual.

Cannon was also interested in sympathetic nervous system activation in an individual when in stressful situation.

Thus, when an individual faces a situation that is threatening, he/ she will either get ready to fight the threat or may flight or run away from the situation.

The individual will experience certain physiological changes that gets him/her ready to fight or flight. These physiological changes include sweating, dry mouth, tensed muscles and so on.

There is also increase in blood pressure and pulse rate. Besides the breathing may also become rapid and pupils may widen. 

Basically, in this moment, the individual’s body will transfer the energy from body systems that are not required to respond to the situation to the body systems that are required to function in order to respond to the situation at hand.

The stimulation of sympathetic nervous system and endocrine system takes place.

General Adaptation Syndrome:

Hans Selye put forth three stages that are experienced by an individual when he/she is in a situation that is stressful.

Stage one: The first stage is that of ‘alarm reaction’ that is denoted by a decreased resistance to stress. This stage is similar to that of fight or flight response.

During this stage, the autonomic nervous system and endocrine system are activated by the hypothalamus. Further, epinephrine and norepinephrine are released by the adrenalin glands.

This can be termed as a countershock, where the defence mechanisms of an individual are activated.

These defence mechanisms are activated as a result of enlargement of the adrenocortical that leads to discharge of adrenalin and thus leading to increase in functions related to respiration and cardiovascular activities.

Stage two: In the second stage, that is ‘resistance’, the adaptation is maximum and the equilibrium is restored. 

During this stage, there is an adaptation on part of the individual and he/she resists the stimuli that create stress, though resistance to other stimuli decreases.

During this stage as well, a lot of energy is required, thus, the nonessential functions related to digestion, immune system and even reproductive system do not receive any energy.

Thus, the individual continues experiencing physiological changes such as increased pulse rate and blood pressure, rapid breathing and so on. These activities are mainly directed towards restoration of the equilibrium or balance.

Stage three: The last stage is that of ‘exhaustion’ where there is a collapse of adaptive mechanisms.Exhaustion occurs as a result of collapse in adaptation mechanisms and due to decrease in the physiological resources.

When an individual experiences stress for a long period of time, the individual’s physiological resources deplete and this can have a negative impact on the physical health of the individual and the individual may become susceptible to various illnesses and health related issues.

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