Perfectionism and the Impacts on Mental Health
Perfection: a quality that many people strive to achieve. We all want to do our best at work school and in our personal lives. Perfectionism takes this to a higher level and often leads to goals and expectations that are not attainable, or realistic. For many people struggling with perfectionism, the stress of trying to be perfect and the fear of not reaching this goal can greatly impact mental health.
Perfectionism has been linked to anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating disorders(1). Perfectionists often find themselves caught in a loop of anxiety about their performance and what the consequences of not reaching perfection will be. Perfectionists also tend to have unrealistic thoughts about what will happen if they are not perfect, such as losing their job or not graduating due to making a small mistake. If you find yourself struggling with perfectionism, there are some ways to combat it and reduce anxiety.
The first step is to notice perfectionistic tendencies and accept that the goal is unrealistic. Common perfectionism thinking patterns include:
Polarized thinking- everything is all or nothing, black or white. This leads to seeing anything less than perfection as a failure.
“Should” and “must” statements- placing unrealistic expectations of what should be done in a situation.
Catastrophizing- expecting the worst possible outcome. This leads to anxiety about the consequences of not reaching perfection.
Minimizing positives- only focusing on the mistakes and not including all of the positive contributions to the situation when evaluating performance.
Next is to look at the bigger picture. Try asking yourself:
Will this matter to me in 5 days? 5 months? 5 years? If not, it is likely not worth stressing about in the moment.
What is the worst outcome? If this were to occur, would I survive? This can reality check your anxiety about the situation and allow you to redirect your efforts to more healthy coping skills.
How might someone else feel in this situation? Or- What would I tell a close friend that was struggling with this? Getting a different perspective can help.
Other steps that can be helpful are:
Allowing for mistakes and lowering the pressure on yourself- No one is perfect. We have all heard this statement, but it can be difficult to internalize. Allowing yourself the grace to make mistakes is crucial to self love, self efficacy and healthier thinking patterns.
Avoid procrastination- Many perfectionists will avoid working on the task until the last minute, partly because of the anxiety, but also to have a built-in excuse for why the work fell short.
Avoid negative influences- Social Media and other forms of media (TV, Podcasts, Magazines) can reinforce this idea of perfection being easily attainable, but it is important to remember that media is curated and does not show the whole picture.
Therapy- Seeing a therapist can help reduce anxiety and promote more realistic thinking patterns.
Limburg K, Watson HJ, Hagger MS, & Egan SJ (2017). The Relationship Between Perfectionism and Psychopathology: A Meta-Analysis. J Clin Psychol. 2017 Oct;73(10):1301-1326. doi: 10.1002/jclp.22435. Epub 2016 Dec 27. PMID: 28026869.
