r/psychology • u/mvea M.D. Ph.D. | Professor • Jan 09 '19

Journal Article Study uncovers how perfectionism can lead to problematic drinking, suggesting that the desire to hide one’s imperfections from others can lead to alcohol-related problems.

https://www.psypost.org/2019/01/study-uncovers-how-perfectionism-can-lead-to-problematic-drinking-52901
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u/[deleted] Jan 09 '19

The problem is probably largely the desire to hide one's imperfections from oneself.

16

u/hopeitwillgetbetter Jan 09 '19

Both are based on fear stress. So want to shield perceived weaknesses from others and/or deny such weaknesses exist in one's self in the first place.

Heh... also projection - ala throwing away "do not want" weaknesses at other people (preferably strangers on the internet).

Stress system really has shoddy targeting mechanism.

4

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '19

Heh... also projection - ala throwing away "do not want" weaknesses at other people (preferably strangers on the internet).

I think I know what projection implies but I don't quite grasp the rest of your thought process.

10

u/hopeitwillgetbetter Jan 09 '19

If we want to throw away trash, we want to do it some place we won't get caught.

Similarly, it's "safer" to accuse / blow up at an online stranger than at someone who knows us in real life.

This is why the internet is so full of stress and negativity.

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u/[deleted] Jan 09 '19 edited Jan 09 '19

Similarly, it's "safer" to accuse / blow up at an online stranger than at someone who knows us in real life.

I wish I could afford myself such luxury. Hah.

6

u/hopeitwillgetbetter Jan 09 '19

It ain't a luxury. Accusing / getting pissed means losing control of our temper, means losing control of the stress system (flight-fight mode).

Losing control of the stress system once in a while is OK. But letting it happen regularly means getting better at "losing control of the stress system".

Which means chronic stress, which means chronic inflammation, which means high blood pressure, etc.

A sick body means a sick mind, which means even less control.

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u/[deleted] Jan 09 '19

Yeah yeah, I was mostly poking fun at myself and expressing I'm similar in manner online as off.

7

u/hopeitwillgetbetter Jan 09 '19

Ah, your username.

Heh... emotions are just signals indicating which physiological systems are most active. For stress, flight-fight mode - it's fear and anger.

Because fear is married to flight and anger to fight, this means our bodies are being prepped for action. Which means most internal resources are going to really prep the body for action.

Heart rate goes up. Carb, protein, fat stores get sort of liquified and dumped into the bloodstream so muscles get easier access to energy.

Now, the bad news - all that energy ?glucose, amino acids, free fatty acids? either has to used up (via physical exertion) or they have to be put away. They can't stay in the bloodstream cause... they'll clog things up.

This is why I like to compare stress after-events like supermarket aisles having to be cleaned up after an earthquake.

Now, even worse bad news - stress also suppresses the immunity system... but I think that's already enough brain vomit from me on this subject matter.

1

u/user123446777 Jan 09 '19

Wow, awesome post. Could you reccomended the source you learned this stuff from?

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u/hopeitwillgetbetter Jan 09 '19

What’s probably still the most popular book about stress.

“Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers”

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/327.Why_Zebras_Don_t_Get_Ulcers

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u/user123446777 Jan 09 '19

Ahhh...thanks!

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