From an early age, many people are taught the value of setting high standards, being the best, and coming out on top. Striving for excellence can be a strong motivator and is by no means a bad thing, but when you combine high personal standards with self-criticism and a fear of failure, you create an unhealthy environment that often leads to anxiety and depression.
If your perfectionist tendencies are doing more harm than good and causing you to feel isolated, depressed, or hopeless, it’s important to seek guidance from someone who can help. For depression treatment in Beverly Hill contact Blair Wellness Group.
The Good and Bad of Perfectionism
There are many different views of perfectionism. Some see it as something to strive for — a way to behave or perform in order to succeed. For others, perfectionism is a way to overcome feelings of inadequacy and protect themselves from judgment. Having a strong desire to do things perfectly can help you grow and achieve things you never knew were possible, but more often than not, perfectionism is about the unrealistic expectations you place upon yourself that only create stress when you don’t succeed.
The difference between healthy or “good” perfectionism and the latter is understanding that your lofty goals must actually be achievable. If your objective is to never make mistakes even though everyone does, then your goal really isn’t achievable. Besides choosing realistic goals, healthy perfectionism requires that you can accept your mistakes and still feel a sense of accomplishment, even if everything was completed exactly as planned. Unfortunately, for those with perfectionist tendencies, accepting mistakes is perceived to be the same as failure, and that only leads to greater anxiety, depression, and self-criticism.
Perfectionism Can Lead To Depression
When you set demanding and irrational goals for yourself, it’s easy to see how you could feel inadequate and let down when you don’t achieve them. Many perfectionists become consumed with self-doubt and live with a constant fear of disapproval — even if that disapproval comes from no other place than inside themselves. Some will choose to avoid a task until they are sure they can complete it perfectly or take an inordinate amount of time to complete something that doesn’t take others that long to complete.
Perfectionism fuels a cycle of self-criticism, hopelessness, and depression that is fueled by unrealistic expectations and negative thinking. It is only through learning to change your way of thinking and creating a healthier attitude about the standards you have placed upon yourself can you truly be free.
Help for Perfectionism
If your inner voice is driving you to set high standards for yourself that are unrealistic and causing you to feel anxious and depressed, seeking out an experienced psychologist can help. At Blair Wellness Group, we show clients how to overcome these feelings of self-doubt and break free from negative thought patterns and behaviors.
If your perfectionist tendencies are taking a toll on your mental health and causing you to feel depressed, contact us for depression treatment in Beverly Hills.
