Allostasis

[emiinaaa]

Can someone please simplify the relationship between allostasis and the biopsychosocial framework?

Point from study design:
- allostasis (stability through change brought about by the brain’s regulation of the body’s response to stress) as a model that integrates biological, psychological and social factors that explain an individual’s response to stress

Thank you

[emilyhobbes]

I only really saw this point in the study design last week and was like "um what." 
So it integrates bio, psych and social factors in that it takes into account that the stressor can be either biological, psychological or social and that the allostatic response depends on how the individual appraises that stressor (psychological factor). The brain then activates the physiological responses involved in the allostatic response (HPA axis, immune system, etc.) which is a biological factor. And then when the individual appraises the stressor as having been dealt with (psych factor), it takes into account social factors like emotional support, psych factors like if you're used a defence mechanism or biological factors and the brain turns off the allostatic response (biological factor)

I know it's messy, but I hope it helps a bit!

[emiinaaa]

Nah it's fine! It makes sense, except what did you mean by the psychological factor of using defence mechanisms?

[emilyhobbes]

So just like, I'm freaking out about Monday, and if I used say... denial and was like "exam? what exam!" to calm myself down, that would be a psychological factor in how I cope and influence whether or not the allostatic response would be turned off

[emiinaaa]

That's clear now! Thanks