Being a perfectionist can make you alcoholic

in collaboration with

Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)

To relax, to try to escape problems, to disinhibit or to integrate socially: the reasons for drinking are many and varied. Unfortunately, the consequences are constant. In France alone, alcohol consumption kills nearly 49,000 people every year. An “addiction to alcohol” which could be favored, in certain cases, by a character trait – perfectionism. Explanations.

Perfectionist participants were classified into 3 categories

In this study, Belgian researchers recruited 65 adults hospitalized for severe alcohol use disorders. Another control group of 65 people also took part in the trial.

Each participant had to complete a questionnaire – the multidimensional scale of perfectionism (Hewitt) – in order to be categorized into one of the following three forms of perfectionism:

• Category 1. Self-focused perfectionism: exaggerated performance standards imposed on oneself.
• Category 2. Socially prescribed perfectionism: a perception of high expectations from others.
• Category 3. Other-oriented perfectionism: setting unrealistic standards for others.

The participants’ symptoms of depression and anxiety were also assessed.

People with severe alcoholism had higher anxiety and symptoms of depression than the control group.

Perfectionism, a new risk factor to be treated?

After processing all of these data, the researchers found that severe alcohol use disorders were associated with perfectionists in categories 1 and 2. On the other hand, no difference was disputed between the first group and the control group concerning “other-oriented perfectionism”.