Perfectionism
About
Many people describe themselves as being a perfectionist, implying they prefer things to be done, by themselves and others, in the best possible way. Perfectionism, however, can be detrimental to our mental health if we find it extremely difficult to tolerate anything other than what we deem to be perfect.
As opposed to a preference on how things are done, perfectionism can impact the way in which we live our life and make it difficult for us to be the person we want to be. We may never feel satisfied by our own efforts or life in general and find it difficult to have relationships with others due to their approaches to things being different from our own.
Actions that can help
- Making mistakes is a completely normal and expected part of life. Try to remember that you people will still like you if you make the wrong move sometimes.
- Comparing yourself to others can easily make you feel worse about your own life. You can’t possibly know all facts about someone else or the advantages they have had, try to focus on you.
- We learn through mistakes. When things don’t go to plan, try and focus on what it has taught you as opposed to just criticising yourself.
- Look for other people’s strengths and try to criticise them less.
- Even though it can feel that way sometimes, success is rarely black and white. You may have made real progress and improvement despite not achieving your ultimate goal, which is still a success.
Symptoms
Treatment
How to get help
Perfectionism - Five facts
