What is Perfectionism?
Perfectionists have the harshest inner critics out there. No one is able to live up to the expectations of a perfectionist, not even the perfectionist themselves. The impossibly high standards can feel suffocating and leave them feeling inadequate and unhappy.
Perfectionism is the need to be or appear perfect. It can make your life feel like it’s focused on an endless report card of failures and achievements, rather than experiences and lessons. Perfectionists often feel mistakes or imperfections are unacceptable,and they are often afraid to disappointment or displease others. It’s when life looks like a checklist of things to do and achieve instead of experiences to live. Anxiety, difficulty coping, and feeling dissatisfied are commonly linked to perfectionism.
Perfectionism among teens is rampant today and is linked to higher rates of anxiety than ever. The earlier that perfectionism is addressed, the less likely high levels of anxiety will lead to depression.
Symptoms of Perfectionism:
- Very controlling in personal and professional relationships
- Procrastination
- Defensiveness
- Fear of failure
- Low self-esteem
- Highly critical of themselves or others
How will counseling help me?
- You will learn to strive for excellence (an achievable goal) rather than perfection
- Begin to identify negative thinking patterns which result in procrastination and frustration
- Use new, healthy thought patterns to help you continue to stay on track and succeed without the stress and overwhelm
- Conquer Imposter Syndrome once and for all
- Your relationship with yourselves and others will begin to improve as you are able to step out of black/white and all/nothing thinking
