The price of perfectionism

Perfectionists have an all-or-nothing mindset. They usually grow up with an overly- critical parent and are constantly pressurized to achieve and maintain top results, as anything less is unacceptable.

The problem here is that nothing the perfectionist does is ever good enough. When they succeed at one goal, they quickly move onto the next. As a result, the perfectionist is in danger of suffering from anxiety or depression. The perfectionist is likely to have low self-esteem and can be more susceptible to mental illness than non-perfectionists. For example, if a perfectionist views their body as less than perfect, they may take matters to the extreme and could be in danger of developing eating disorders.

The life of a perfectionist is a constant struggle, even though from the outside they appear to be self-confident and successful. Sadly, in some cases, the constant fear of failure and being unable to live with perceived failures may drive some perfectionistic personalities towards major depressive disorders and even towards suicidal tendencies.

For most of us, failure is a normal part of everyday life. We accept that we are only human; we make mistakes and can choose to learn from them. This is a much healthier attitude, as failure cannot be avoided. Having a strong support system can help ease the difficulties in life we go through.

Experiencing difficulties and challenges helps us to grow stronger. We learn that we can survive them, that we are resilient and that no matter what happens today, the sun will still shine tomorrow.