Page 131 - Biobehavioral Resilence to Stress

108 Biobehavioral Resilience to Stress

(improve unit cohesion), physical fitness (cardiovascular health), stress man-

agement techniques (meditation, relaxation), and cognitive behavioral train-
ing (orientation to optimism and cognitive reframing). Ideally, such training
should be accompanied by efforts to reduce allostatic load by discouraging

unhealthy lifestyle choices (smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep depriva-
tion, poor nutrition).

The information considered in this chapter also suggests that it may be
useful to consider new pharmacological approaches to the treatment or pre-

vention of traumatic stress effects. Of particular interest would be the devel-

opment of agents that can effectively stabilize HPA function and reduce SNS
reactivity. For example, CRF antagonists could exert anxiolytic, antidepres-

sant, and preventive effects against the development of stress-induced mood
and anxiety-related disorders. Additionally, it would be reasonable to predict
that agents that help to contain stress-related SNS activation (e.g., agents that
modulate NPY and NE release) would thereby enhance resilience to stress.
Pharmacologic intervention may prove a useful complement to relaxation
techniques and cognitive behavioral therapies that bolster capacity to modu-
late limbic activity.
Because military life and service can be demanding, stressful, and some-
times traumatizing, it is important to pursue research and applications
toward reducing allostatic load and thus promoting the psychological and
physical resilience of service members.

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