What is an alostatic load?

Alostatic burden is the physical and emotional costs of solving stressful circumstances for a long time. Sometimes this term is defined as a synonym of stress, but it is indeed the nature of the stress reaction of the body and how it is carried and processed that determines the burden. It is argued that the heavier load risks the development of chronic diseases. Moreover, not only bio- or neurochemical reactions, but also useless behavior, difficult childhood experiences and the presence of anxiety or mood disorders increase this chronic stress load. There are several proposed ways to measure the weight of allostatic load and reduce its impact. In the short term, a higher amount of these chemicals helps people cope with stress. On the other hand, a chronic shelter can lead to overproduction of these chemicals and defective mechanisms when denying the chemical reaction. The body sometimes also produces cortisol and catecholamines in situations that would not usually be perceived as stressful. They begin to cause an increased risk of heartsOrob, hypertension and high cholesterol. In addition, chronically high alostatic burden means that people are more likely to choose behavior that increases the risk of diseases such as smoking, drinking and drug use. Alternatively, people may not succeed or overeat.

Not all people manage stress in the same way, and some seem to be able to deal with much more while they still decide and take care of themselves. The alostatic burden in these patients may be lower. On the other hand, some individuals are prepared for the inability of a heavier load. The higher levels of reaction to stress often occur in those who have been abused and neglected as children, and in people with mood and anxiety disorders. These scenarios are then translated into an increased risk of serious chronic diseases.

There are ways to measure allostatic loads. Some experts propose to use stress scales butThis may not be particularly effective. The scale may evaluate the current experience of a person's stress, but they do not talk about the way it processes it over time. Better measures evaluate the levels of catecholamines and cortisol and could even test conditions such as obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease.

In addition, psychotherapeutic care determines what types of behavior have developed to deal with high stress. A thorough history of clients can evaluate how often clients perceive themselves as stressful. Psychotherapy also diagnoses psychiatric disorders and can indent the negative child experience that can correspond to a higher allostatic load. In addition, therapeutic work in the area of ​​reducing and treatment of stress can change the physiological mechanisms of management over time, reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases.