Perfectionism
When The Standard of “Perfect” - Hurts.
What is Perfectionism?
Most of us desire to achieve the best possible outcome in a situation or task, and that is perfectly healthy. But perfectionism involves holding yourself to unreasonably high standards of flawlessness, which if not met, can slow down progress and lead to different kinds of physical and emotional distress.
Signs of Perfectionism
Perfectionism can manifest in various domains of a person’s life including school, workplace, relationships, health, and physical appearance.
Signs that someone may be a perfectionist include:
Being highly self-critical
Taking a long time to complete tasks
Obsessing over often unimportant details
Doing things repeatedly until they are ‘perfect’
Fixating on the outcome instead of the process
Procrastinating or avoiding a task so as to not mess it up
Fear of failing
Comparing oneself or one’s work to others
Unrealistic standards for perfection
Strong need to control situations and people
Causes of Perfectionism
Perfectionism can affect children as well as adults. While there is no one cause of perfectionism, the tendency to achieve unrealistic flawlessness has been linked with several factors.
These include:
Fear of disapproval or negative judgment of others
Overly critical parenting
Pressure to excel as a child
History of overachieving
Receiving and valuing external praise
Mental health conditions like OCD or social anxiety
Impact of Perfectionism
Holding themselves to such impossible criteria of flawlessness can harm the physical and pyschological health of perfectionists.
Some impacts of perfectionism can include:
Feelings of inadequacy
Sleep disturbances
Guilt and shame
Body dysmorphia
Trouble maintaining healthy relationships
Having a hard time completing tasks on time
Declining productivity
Self-harm
Suicidal ideation
If you or anyone you love is struggling with perfectionism and is unable to lead a normal life, it’s time to reach out for help.
Reach Out To Us
If you are a resident of Ontario and are looking for online counselling, the compassionate counsellors at Reclaim and Rise Counselling are here to support you.
Using evidence-based therapeutic approaches, we can help you begin to reclaim power in your life so that you can rise above whatever is holding you down.
When you’re ready, reach out to our team by filling out a contact form, calling (226) 215-4244, emailing info@reclaimandrise.ca, or book an appointment online by clicking below.