完美主义者有酗酒倾向？

你是完美主义者吗？

图源：VCG

The American Psychological Association defines perfectionism as a tendency to demand of one’s self or others an extremely high level of performance. It is associated with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental health problems.

美国心理学会将完美主义定义为一种对自己或他人过分挑剔的、非理性的欲望，它与抑郁、焦虑、饮食失调以及其他的心理健康问题有关。

完美主义竟分三种！

心理学家保罗·休伊特（Paul Hewitt）和戈登·弗雷特（Gordon Flett）于1991年提出了三种类型的完美主义，这有助于我们理解完美主义如何影响我们自身及人际关系。

Self-oriented perfectionism is characterized by unrealistically high and self-imposed expectations about one’s self. (e.g., “One of my goals is to be perfect in everything I do”). Socially-prescribed perfectionists try to live up to very high standards that they believe other people are placing on them. (e.g., “People expect nothing less than perfection from me”). Other-oriented perfectionists set exaggeratedly high standards for others.  (e.g., “I have high expectations for the people who are important to me”). 

自我导向型完美主义的特征体现在强加于自己身上的、不切实际的高期望，例如，“我要把所有事情都做得很完美”。社会导向型完美主义者认为别人对他们制定了高标准，并试图达到这种标准，例如，“人们希望我完美无缺”。他人导向型完美主义者要求别人做到尽善尽美，例如，“我对那些于我而言很重要的人抱有很大的期望”。

图源：VCG

喝酒成瘾与完美主义有什么联系？

Researchers in Belgium explored associations between perfectionist traits and severe AUD，a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to control or stop using alcohol despite repercussions to their health, or social and professional lives. AUD also referred to as alcohol dependence, alcohol addiction, or alcoholism.

比利时的研究人员探索了完美主义特征与严重的酒精使用障碍之间的关系。酒精使用障碍也被称为酒精依赖、酒精成瘾或酒精“中毒”，是一种使人控制或停止使用酒精的能力受损的疾病，这会对酒精依赖者的健康、社交和职业生活产生影响。

图源：Vice

研究者观察了两组65位年龄与性别相似的成年人，一组由患有严重的酒精使用障碍的人组成，另一组为对照组，两组人都填写了评估三种类型完美主义的问卷。

The researchers found that patients with severe AUD reported higher depressive symptoms and trait anxiety. They also demonstrated higher self-oriented and socially-oriented perfectionism than the controls, though the two groups were similar in other-oriented perfectionism. Severe AUD was related to unrealistic personal standards and increased sensitivity to other people’s expectations. 

研究者发现患有严重的酒精使用障碍的人有较高的抑郁特征和特质焦虑*，与对照组相比，他们还表现出更高的自我导向型和社会导向型完美主义，但是两组人在他人导向型完美主义方面相似。严重的酒精使用障碍与不切实际的自我标准和对他人期望的敏感度增加相关。

译注：特质焦虑，指一种一般性的人格特点或特质，它表现为一种多少比较持续的担心和不安。

这不是第一个发现完美主义与酗酒之间联系的研究，之前的研究也得出了类似的结论。达尔豪斯大学的高级讲师Sean P. Mackinnon研究人的性格、幸福感和酒精使用情况，为理解完美主义、负面情绪和酒精使用之间的联系，她招募了263名年龄在18到25岁之间的年轻人，让他们在20天内每天填写一次相同的问卷。

The results of this study found that perfectionistic people had more negative emotions from day-to-day, which motivated them to cope with those negative emotions by drinking alcohol.  When people drink to cope with negative emotions—as opposed to drinking for, say, social reasons—they tend to experience alcohol-related problems such as blacking out, fighting with others, or missing work.  Perfectionists in the study drank to cope with their elevated levels of negative emotions, which in turn led to alcohol-related problems.

研究结果表明，在日常生活中完美主义者会产生更多的负面情绪，他们通过喝酒来应对这些“麻烦事”。当人们为应对负面情绪而不是为社交等原因喝酒时，往往会遇到类似喝断片、与人打架、失业等麻烦。这项研究中的完美主义者通过喝酒缓解他们高涨的负面情绪，而负面情绪反过来也会导致他们喝酒。

图源：VCG

Understanding the links between perfectionism and alcohol problems may help practicing psychologist tailor treatments to the personality of their clients. Because perfectionistic drinkers drink to alleviate their negative emotions, therapy for such people might be most effective if it focuses on treating anxiety or depression. 

了解完美主义与酗酒问题之间的联系可能有助于心理学家为病人量身定制方案。因为完美主义者通过喝酒来缓解他们的负面情绪，所以对这类人的治疗如果集中在治疗焦虑或抑郁上可能是最有效的。

Through continued study of this topic we can make headway into better treatments for people who drink because they are excessively perfectionistic.

通过继续研究这个话题，我们可以为那些因过于追求完美而酗酒的人找到更好的治疗方法。