Perfectionism has a high risk of detrimental impacts on mental and physical health, particularly a high risk of drug use. The reason for this is that people who strive for perfection in all things are often overwhelmed by unrealistic standards, feelings of inadequacy, high levels of stress, and self-criticism.
Drugs and alcohol become a way to escape or numb those feelings and that level of stress, otherwise categorized as an unhealthy coping mechanism. The drugs or alcohol might temporarily alleviate the pain that an individual feels because they haven’t met their expectations, because they are overwhelmed by stress, or because they are procrastinating, but this leads to a vicious cycle.
How Perfectionism Leads to Substance Abuse
Perfectionism can be seen as a personality trait, one that is potentially beneficial or harmful. In either case it can be better described as positive perfectionism or negative perfectionism.
Those who have positive perfectionism can reduce their anxiety by using positive coping strategies.
However, many people struggle with negative perfectionism as a personality trait, and those individuals are more likely to use drugs as a form of coping strategy when faced with problems or emotional issues.
In fact, research indicates that both positive and negative perfectionism are predictors of whether females will end up with a drug addiction.
Someone with perfectionism might:
- Set unachievable goals for themselves and, as such, deal with constant feelings of failure, disappointment, and inadequacy, which they numb with drugs or alcohol
- Struggle with a harsh inner voice that continually criticizes and blames, increasing feelings of inadequacy and reliance on drugs and alcohol to temporarily quell those feelings
- Have chronic stress and anxiety that triggers substance abuse as a form of self-medication
- Not have healthy coping mechanisms to deal with negative emotions and as such, turn to drugs or alcohol, particularly in social settings, as a way to cope
- Feel relentless exhaustion and burnout, motivating relief from things like drugs and alcohol
How this manifests can look different depending on the cycle that an individual struggles with most.
Perfectionism, Procrastination, and Problems
Individuals who struggle with perfectionism are likely to procrastinate heavily, and at different stages in life, this procrastination can lead to alcohol abuse. Those who procrastinate will often feel guilty about that procrastination, so they turn to drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism to quiet their self-criticism.
Studies have found that those who are focused on procrastination as part of their perfectionism might seek immediate gratification while procrastinating in the form of alcohol consumption, and this can be detrimental to long-term healthy coping mechanisms and increase the risk of substance abuse.
Even without procrastination, studies have found a strong relationship between perfectionism and alcohol use disorder.
Cognitive Enhancement
Another aspect of how perfectionism leads to substance abuse can take the form of cognitive enhancement drug use.
This is defined as using prescription drugs to improve cognitive capacities, something that is quite common among students but also takes place in the workplace.
Those with the perfectionism personality trait will naturally perceive higher levels of stress and, therefore, have a positive attitude toward cognitive enhancement drug use as a means of overcoming that stress by increasing their focus.
However, what ends up happening is that individuals run the risk of substance abuse and addiction to those cognitive enhancement drugs, becoming dependent on them as a coping mechanism or a form of self-medication when high stress leads individuals to seek ways to cope with that stress and improve their performance.
How to Get Help for Substance Abuse
With Ava Recovery, you can start your journey toward recovery at our residential treatment center. We are there for our clients at the start of their recovery journey, offering individualized experiences at all levels of care. We work hard to help you find a treatment option for your needs, regardless of whether you end up coming to our facility.
Ava Recovery starts with a holistic approach, providing clients with positive ways to handle daily stress, tools to improve mental and physical health, while also changing life for the best. Recovery is a lifelong process and our goal is to provide modern, evidence-based therapies that prepare you for lifelong success.
We offer exclusive amenities, including:
- Yoga
- En-suite bathrooms
- Gourmet meals
- Outdoor pool
- Walking paths
Recovery is possible for everyone who seeks it. At our world class location, we help clients escape from daily chaos into a beautiful, peaceful location.
Start your recovery today.
Call our admission team at (833) 755-1288 or text (512) 399-2115.
