Question

Discuss the biopsychosocial model and Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome model in the understanding of human stress reactions and explanations.

Answer 1

Biopsychosocial model is an interdisciplinary model that considers as many number of variables that could potentially affect an individual and is creating stress. The variables could be anything from health condition, social behavior and reciprocation of behavior with the environment, education background, economic stability, economic opportunities, intrinsic qualities and personalities such as being nice and down to earth attitude, respectively, etc. By considering these variables the biopsychosocial model defines stress as a state of mind that exists due to one or many variables with negative attributes. Thus, by changing the negative attributed to positive attribute, the stress can be counterbalanced or managed or eliminated.

This model approached stress management through a philosophical way where an individual is counseled to change his behavior and life style.

Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome model is the model that describes that stress as a non-specific response of the body towards the change demanded. The model describes three phases namely, 1. Alarm Phase, 2. Stage of Resistance, and 3. Stage of Exhaustion

In alarm phase, the stress is managed by the fight or flight response assisted by sympathetic nervous system.

In resistance stage, the body functions that got triggered up during the stage 1 return to the normal stage but the body remains alert. Parasympathetic nervous system functions normally and blood glucose levels remain high, cortisol and adrenalin remains high, irrespective of the causal body outlook.

In exhaustion stage, the body loses the ability to resist the stresses and suffers a change. It could be an illness, or even death.

These three stages represent the experience of the stress by the body and the way the body breaks or gets damaged due to stress.

Through this model, the management of stress is scientifically addressed and steps are taken to control the body functions. Controlling the Parasympathetic nervous system functions, blood glucose levels remain high, cortisol and adrenalin, etc., controls the negative effects of stress to the body.