In Step 2, Escalation Phase, what occurs if the stressful event is not addressed?

• A. Stress decreases
• B. Stress continues to escalate toward crisis with high potential for conflict
• C. People ignore it
• D. The situation stabilizes

Answer: (B)

When a stressful event isn’t addressed, tension rises rather than falls. In the Escalation Phase, emotions get stronger, communication can break down, and the person may feel more threatened. If nothing intervenes, arousal and defensiveness keep increasing, pushing the situation toward a crisis with a high potential for conflict. This is why the described outcome—stress continuing to escalate toward crisis—best captures what happens when the stress is left unaddressed. The other possibilities would require some form of relief, attention, or resolution that isn’t occurring in this phase.