Fig. 4. This schematic diagram shows the dynamic nature of resilience induced by the varied impact of allostatic load on the neurobiological and psychosocial structures depicted by the wall.

When load is significant, it may compromise the integrity of the wall (representing neurobiological and psychosocial indices of resilience), to produce structural and associated functional changes. These changes are depicted by a breach in the wall (cracking and leakage in a) and excessive pressure (leaning of the wall in b). Alternatively, allostatic load may be too overwhelming for the stress-responsive systems to even begin to contend with (allostatic load flows over the wall in c). The changes can create variable instability in stress-responsive systems that can manifest as maladjusted behaviours, subthrehold symptomatology or psychopathology.