Perfectionism & Mental Health
- Rachel Lan
- May 4, 2024
- 4 min read
Striving for excellence is often seen as a good characteristic, as it is assumed that an individual has a good work ethic or is a good student. But, setting the standards too high to the point where it’s impossible to achieve the goal becomes harmful to one’s mental well-being.
What is Perfectionism?
Perfectionism is a personality trait driven by internal pressures of wanting to avoid failure or judgment, as well as external factors such as social, academic, or cultural pressures. However, not all types of perfectionism harm individuals. Adaptive perfectionism is a healthy, achievement-oriented type of perfectionism, where individuals have high standards but set realistic goals for themselves while working hard for their success. On the other hand, perfectionism can have a darker side, which is known as maladaptive perfectionism. This is a type of perfectionism that is failure-oriented and is based on the fear of feeling unworthy and, having low self-confidence. The three types of maladaptive perfectionism include self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed. Self-oriented perfectionism is when an individual forces an unrealistic desire to be perfect on themself. Other-oriented perfectionism is forcing unrealistic standards of perfection on others. Socially prescribed perfectionism is recognizing unrealistic expectations of perfection from others.
Perfectionism and Mental Disorders
When having a maladaptive perfectionist mindset, there is the potential to harm an individual’s mental health significantly, as this mindset can lead to a variety of different mental health disorders. Perfectionists can develop depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, and even suicidal thoughts. Thomas Curran, a lecturer in the Department for Health at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, and Andrew P. Hill, of York St. John University, conducted a series of studies to further their understanding of the correlation between mental disorders and perfectionism. One of their studies showed that more than 70% of adolescents who died by suicide had the habit of setting unrealistic standards for themselves (Sandoiu, 2018). According to a study from 2018, about 30% of undergraduate students experience depression symptoms, with perfectionism being widely associated with the symptoms.
Curran and Hill pointed out that people with self-oriented perfectionism are more likely to have clinical depression, eating disorders, and higher suicidal rates in teenagers. It also exacerbates the presence of bipolar disorder, which is a mental health condition that causes unpredictable shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity level, and concentration (Newman & French, 2023).
Effects of Maladaptive Perfectionism on Well-being
These mental disorders can drastically impair an individual’s mental well-being. After making a mistake, they are overly critical and easily find faults in their decisions. Instead of celebrating their accomplishments, they usually neglect them and disregard compliments. Perfectionists have a harsh, critical internal dialogue that constantly reminds them that they aren’t good enough, even if they work as hard as possible. Along with the inner voice being draining enough, perfectionists criticize themselves for the fact that they’re being self-critical and that their constant efforts to “be better” just prove their self-imperfection.
Effective coping strategies
In navigating the challenges caused by perfectionism, developing effective coping strategies is important for building resilience and keeping a healthy mental mindset. To combat perfectionism it is crucial to be aware of one’s thoughts and behaviors relating to perfectionism. This can be done by writing down thoughts that come to one’s mind when feeling the need to be perfect in a situation, even if they feel irrational. While writing them down, pick up on the themes that start to show within your thoughts. Once these themes are identified, it’s much easier to change the mindset.
Another coping strategy is to practice mindfulness by praising oneself using compassionate self-talk, and challenging negative self-judgements. Practicing self-kindness helps reduce the maladaptive perfectionism individuals experience. It is also important to acknowledge that it’s completely normal to make mistakes, as it teaches the brain that a mistake isn’t the end of the world. This can be done by trying something new, and instead of focusing on how to be perfect at it, switching the mindset to enjoying it or learning how to get better at it. Mistakes are opportunities for improvement and learning.
To ensure an overall well-being, set reasonable goals and break down tasks to minimize feelings of failure and overwhelm. These goals should be specific and attainable. Perfectionists usually have the “all-or-nothing” mindset, a cognitive distortion where individuals view the world as a binary. They define their experiences and processes as either right or wrong. This is an unhelpful and harmful way of thinking, as it can lead to anxiety and maladaptive perfectionism. To fight against this thinking, individuals should break down tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. Checking off one task at a time increases feelings of accomplishment and decreases feelings of failure. Ultimately, recognizing the damaging effects on mental health and creating healthy coping techniques through cognitive behavioral therapy allows individuals to embrace imperfection and prioritize self-care (Cox, 2022).
Wanting to achieve excellence is admirable and important for success. Still, it’s important to acknowledge the line between achievement-oriented perfectionism, and the negative effects of maladaptive perfectionism on an individual’s mental health. The challenge of trying to accomplish unattainable goals can lead to a variety of mental health disorders, and extreme critical self-criticism can only further these negative effects. However, by practicing productive coping strategies, individuals can change their maladaptive perfectionism thought patterns into a healthier mindset, resulting in high, reasonable expectations while embracing imperfection and maintaining a healthy well-being.
Learning about maladaptive perfectionism can help students identify unrealistic standards and the psychological consequences. Through shedding light on this topic, I hope to foster a stronger resilience to this unhealthy form of perfectionism by promoting healthier approaches to strengthen the Horace Mann community.
Sources:
Cox, J. (2022, November 15). 7 Steps to Overcome Perfectionism. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/health/steps-to-conquer-perfectionism
Newman, T., & French, M. (2023, December 20). What to know about bipolar disorder. Medical News Today.
Psychology Today. (n.d.). Perfectionism. Psychology Today.
Sandoiu, A. (2018, October 12). How perfectionism affects your (mental) health. Medical News Today.
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