Understanding stress

 

Stage of Stress Response	Hormones	Typical Scenarios
Alarm Stage (Fight-or-Flight)	Adrenaline (epinephrine), Norepinephrine, Cortisol (begins to rise)	Near car accident, hearing bad news, public speaking, sudden danger, racing heart, rapid breathing
Resistance Stage	Cortisol (main hormone), some norepinephrine	Ongoing work or school stress, caring for a sick family member, relationship problems, adapting to a prolonged challenge
Exhaustion Stage	Cortisol becomes chronically dysregulated; DHEA may become depleted	Burnout, chronic illness, prolonged financial stress, weakened immune system, depression, extreme fatigue

Quick Memory Trick

• 🚨 Alarm = Act Fast
  • Adrenaline surges.
  • Your body prepares to fight or flee.
  • Heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure increase.
• ⏳ Resistance = Keep Going
  • Cortisol helps you cope with ongoing stress.
  • You may appear to be functioning normally, but your body is using extra energy reserves.
• 🔋 Exhaustion = Running Empty
  • Stress has lasted too long.
  • Your body's resources become depleted.
  • You may experience fatigue, illness, difficulty concentrating, or burnout.

Practice Matching

Item	Correct Stage
Adrenaline release	Alarm
Fight-or-flight response	Alarm
Cortisol remains elevated	Resistance
Long-term work stress	Resistance
Burnout	Exhaustion
Frequent illness	Exhaustion
Near-miss car accident	Alarm
Chronic caregiving stress	Resistance
Emotional exhaustion	Exhaustion

This matches the standard psychology explanation of the stress response and should help with most drag-and-drop quizzes based on the Alarm → Resistance → Exhaustion model.