Not one thing at a time: When concomitant multiple stressors produce a transdiagnostic clinical picture
Date
2023-07-19
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
World Journal of Psychiatry
Abstract
A condition of exposure to multiple stressors resulting in a mixed clinical picture spanning conventional categories without meeting any of them in full, encompasses a risk for a list of comorbidities preventing appropriate prevention and treatment. New transformative transdiagnostic approaches suggest changes spanning conventional categories. They base their systems of classification on biomarkers as well as on brain structural and functional dysregulation as associated with behavioral and emotional symptoms. These new approaches received critiques for not being specific enough and for suggesting a few biomarkers for psychopathology as a whole. Therefore, they put the value of differential diagnosis at risk of avoiding appropriate derived prevention and treatment. Multiplicity of stressors has been considered mostly during and following catastrophes, without considering the resulting mixed clinical picture and life event concomitant stressors. We herewith suggest a new category within the conventional classification systems: The Complex Stress Reaction Syndrome, for a condition of multiplicity of stressors, which showed a mixed clinical picture for daily life in the post coronavirus disease 2019 era, in the general population. We argue that this condition may be relevant to daily, regular life, across the lifespan, and beyond conditions of catastrophes. We further argue that this condition may worsen without professional care and it may develop into a severe mental health disorder, more costly to health systems and the suffering individuals. Means for derived prevention and treatment are discussed.
Description
This article was originally published in World Journal of Psychiatry. The version of record is available at: http://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v13.i7.402. ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords
transdiagnostic, multiple stressors, clinical picture, prevention, treatment, interpersonal psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy
Citation
Goldstein Ferber, Sari, Gal Shoval, Aron Weller, and Gil Zalsman. “Not One Thing at a Time: When Concomitant Multiple Stressors Produce a Transdiagnostic Clinical Picture.” World Journal of Psychiatry 13, no. 7 (July 19, 2023): 402–8. https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v13.i7.402.