Clinical characterization of allostatic overload

Mental Health and Psychosocial Problems of Medical Health Workers during the COVID-19 Epidemic in China

“…They also had risk factors for developing insomnia, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and somatization. Thus, the presence of these symptoms in addition to the life status of daily fighting against COVID-19 suggests that they must cope with psychological distress and are at risk of allostatic overload [9]. Indeed, according to clinimetric criteria, allostatic overload can be diagnosed in the presence of a current identifiable source of distress in the form of recent life events and/or chronic stress; the stressor is judged to tax or exceed the individual coping skills when its full nature and full circumstances are evaluated.…”

“…Indeed, according to clinimetric criteria, allostatic overload can be diagnosed in the presence of a current identifiable source of distress in the form of recent life events and/or chronic stress; the stressor is judged to tax or exceed the individual coping skills when its full nature and full circumstances are evaluated. In addition, the stressor is associated with difficulty in falling asleep, restless sleep, early morning awakening, lack of energy, dizziness, generalized anxiety, irritability, sadness, demoralization; significant impairment in DOI: 10.1159/000507639 [9]. The reasons for the psychological distress to which medical health workers were exposed might be related to the many difficulties of being safe at work, such as the initially insufficient understanding of the virus, the lack of prevention and control knowledge, the long-term workload, the high risk of exposure to patients with COVID-19, the shortage of medical protective equipment [13,23], the lack of getting rest [24], and the exposure to critical life events [25], such as death.…”

“…Every day, they face a high risk of being infected and are exposed to long and distressing work shifts to meet health requirements. In brief, they are exposed to a protracted source of distress which may exceed their individual coping skills, being, according to a clinimetric definition [9], in allostatic load, which is likely to result in overload with protracted time [9].…”

Adolescent Obesity: Diet Quality, Psychosocial Health, and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors

“…Under chronic stress, the characteristic negative-feedback nature of the HPA-axis may become dysfunctional, which increases the risk of developing a host of metabolic and affective disorders [85]. Prolonged stress contributes to allostatic load, where the body develops new "set points" including, but not limited to, higher blood glucose, stress sensitivity, and reactivity [86]. Chronic psychosocial stress promotes metabolic derangement including adiposity, as well as abnormal eating behaviors including over-or under-eating, and preferentially selecting highly palatable foods [87].…”

COVID-19 and Working Conditions in Health Care

“…We know that when such symp-DOI: 10.1159/000507765 toms last for long periods, they are associated with allostatic overload, a combination of long-lasting energy mobilization with concomitant suppression of regeneration. The latter part of the physiological disturbance leads to vulnerability in all organ systems [7].…”