Stress and alcohol: which stress type are you?

One will run even faster because of it, the other prefers to avoid it as much as possible: stress. Everyone reacts differently to it, but did you know that there are roughly four different types of stress? Psychologist and stress coach Carien Karsten explains the four stress types and how they can relate to alcohol. Do you recognize yourself in one of the stress types?

A tight deadline, an important presentation, a crowded social calendar or an endless to-do list; Everyone experiences stress for a short or longer period of time. How we deal with this is different for everyone. One gets extra energy from it, while the other spontaneously closes. Within psychology, a distinction is made between 24 different stress types. These can be reduced to four core types: the turbo type, the crash type, the high-sensitivity type and the bore out type. Each type also has its own relationship with alcohol.

Turbo type

As a turbo type you go against everything with full power and you are often a top performer. You need a lot of incentives, with a high workload you go even further. You are always busy, enterprising and have many interests. You think with many things: I'll do that for a while. A turbo type has a lot of energy and can handle a lot. Because you have a great need for new stimuli, you are more sensitive to addiction. You may also need alcohol more often than the other types to relax.

crash type

The crash type is 'the diesel'. Also under stress, this type buffs on at the same fast pace. As a crash type you are a real perfectionist. You can handle work pressure well and ask the utmost of yourself every day. You ignore physical complaints. Other people see you as solid and reliable. Because you are always in fifth gear, you run the risk of suddenly collapsing due to over-fatigue. Are you a crash type? Then you are usually not a big alcohol drinker. You run the risk of depression more than the other stress types, because you always ask too much of yourself.

Highly sensitive type

The highly sensitive type is also called HSP (highly sensitive person). This type appears calm and calm on the outside, but can experience quite a bit of stress on the inside in the meantime. As a highly sensitive type you are often empathetic and you have an eye for the people around you. Here you can sometimes figure yourself out. Seemingly small things can throw you off balance enormously. As a highly sensitive type, you can drink alcohol to numb feelings, but also to feel less afraid in social situations. Are you a highly sensitive type? Then there is a greater chance that you sometimes drink alcohol because you think you have 'deserved' a drink.

Bore out type

This type is also called 'the hermit'. The bore out type tries to prevent any form of stress in advance and at the same time experiences stress due to boredom. As a bore out type, you are a smart, independent thinker and good observer. Because your stress level rises quickly, you often work below your level. You often have low blood pressure. Because drinking alcohol lowers blood pressure even further, drinking alcohol can hit you extra hard.

Source: carienkarsten.nl

One type or a mix

A study among people with stress and burnout symptoms showed that the crash type is the most common type (42%). This is followed by the turbo type (18%). The highly sensitive type (6%) and bore out type (4%) are the least common. Furthermore, a third of all respondents identified themselves in more than one type. Do you recognize yourself in one of these stress types? And does your reason for drinking alcohol fit in with this?