Perfectionism And Anxiety: Trying To Be Constantly Perfect May Come At The Price Of Your Mental Health
Perfectionism And Anxiety: Trying To Be Constantly Perfect May Come At The Price Of Your Mental Health

Perfectionism can be a good personality trait because it drives us to live up to our full potential. It is very much likely that you have such a person in your life. It could be your mother who constantly micromanages because she requires perfection in the house and in her life. It could also be you, too scared to let people down so, you strive to keep everything up to the mark.

But, there is a thin line between perfectionism and obsession. It can take a wrong turn very fast and this can be detrimental to your health. When you become obsesses over the tiniest things, it is no longer called being a perfectionist. Experts have revealed through a new study that extreme form of perfectionism could lead to anxiety. Let us understand the link between the two.

What Is Perfectionism?

The American Psychological Association defines perfectionism as, “the tendency to demand of others or of oneself an extremely high or even flawless level of performance, in excess of what is required by the situation. In other words, it’s considered a personality trait, not a mental disorder.”

A study published in TheInternational Journal of Medical Education reveals that perfectionism in people can show up in people from two different sources. Some people strive to be perfect but does not get anxiety or beat themselves up if they make a mistake. While others strive for being perfect is typically driven by negativity or the fear of failure and possibility of failure. The former is called adaptive perfectionism and the latter is called maladaptive perfectionism. Maladaptive perfectionist people are much more likely to be plagued by depression, anxiety, self complex and other mental health issues. People who experience this personality trait may also be competitive and not in fair or healthy way. Their strive for perfectionism might make them compete for superiority or the need to be the best at everything.

Perfectionism can lead to anxiety when a person is not satisfied with their work. It can get triggered when things do not go according to the plan. Sometimes, in extreme cases, it gets triggered even when there are no causes for concern. A study published in the JournalClinical Psychology Review reveals that people struggling with perfectionism may have elevated anxiety disorders. It includes symptoms of social anxiety, generalised anxiety, panic and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Another study published in the Journal BMC Psychiatry reveals that perfectionism and a tendency to be perfect may also be an indicator of pathological worry. This is a major characteristic of a generalised anxiety disorder.

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Post source: The Health Site