Excerpts:
As one reviews the literature, it becomes apparent that many authors (10-12) have
recognized the need for a more precise definition and theory of stress and have occasionally called for a moratorium on stress
research until the confusion is resolved (13). [JLJ - I bet this moratorium on stress research caused a lot of stress.]
One of the most apparent implications of the theory is that organisms are genetically predisposed to adapt to stress.
If, in fact, this is the case, then "exhaustion" must actually be some other process. Selye (46) felt that if a stressor were
chronic, an organism would, at some point, fail to adapt due to exhaustion of adaptation energy. The stage of exhaustion was
marked by the illness or death of the organism. In the proposed theory, illness or death would also be consequent to a failure
to adapt, but would not result from an exhaustion of resources. Rather it would result from another cause (psychological or
physiological) which prevented adaptation.
An integrative theory of the stress response was presented and shown to be a useful
tool for analyzing results of a variety of studies. This theory, based on learning and evolutionary principles, states that
organisms are predisposed to adapt to chronic intermittent stress. Adaptation is achieved by anticipation of the stressor
and decreased responsivity.
