title: Exposed to events that never happen: Generalized unsafety, the default stress response, and prolonged autonomic activity.
abstract: Based on neurobiological and evolutionary arguments, the generalized unsafety theory of stress (GUTS) hypothesizes that the stress response is a default response, and that chronic stress responses are caused by generalized unsafety (GU), independent of stressors or their cognitive representation. Three highly prevalent conditions are particularly vulnerable to becoming 'compromised' in terms of GU, and carry considerable health risks: Thus, GUTS critically revises and expands stress theory, by focusing on safety instead of threat, and by including risk factors that have hitherto not been attributed to stress.
authors.affiliation: Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333AK Leiden, The Netherlands. Electronic address: brosschot@fw.leidenuniv.nl.
authors.forename: Jos F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Brosschot
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333AK Leiden, The Netherlands. Electronic address: bverkuil@fw.leidenuniv.nl.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Verkuil
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. Electronic address: Thayer.39@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Julian F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Thayer
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological
keywords: Chronic stress; Default stress response; Generalized unsafety; Heart rate variability; Loneliness; Obesity; Perceived safety