The Six Major Sources of Stress at Work

Abstract

Hans Selye (1946) was one of the first to try and explain the process of stress-related illness with his “general adaptation syndrome” theory. In it he described three stages of individual encounters in stressful situations:

• 1. The alarm reaction, in which an initial shock phase of lowered resistance is followed by a countershock during which the individual’s defence mechanisms become active.

• 2. Resistance, the stage of maximum adaptation and, hopefully, successful return to equilibrium; however, if the stressor continues or the defence does not work, the individual will move onto the third stage.

• 3. Exhaustion, when adaptive mechanisms collapse.