The clinical application of the stress concept

Background: Knowledge on fundamental aspects of the influence of ‘stress’ on animal and human organisms is accumulating. In clinical situations, however, psychiatrists still do not use apropriate instruments to recognize and handle the impact of daily life stress. DSM-IV is insufficient in this respect.

Objective: A different approach is sketched for clinicians to be able to integrate knowledge from research more effectively.

Method: Application of a ‘broad’ biological view may reveal the significance of interpretation, emotion, impulse and reaction as stages of a ‘mental tract’, which is involved in processing the input of stressful situations.

Result: This may lead to a more rational ‘targeting’ of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic strategies in clinical practice.

Conclusion: A re-orientation of clinical psychiatry from mere classification towards a ‘broad’ biological approach may pave the way for a more rational and purposeful application of research findings to therapy.