Perfectionism | Rice Psychology

Perfectionism

perfectionismChallenging yourself and striving for success at all times is a quality that almost everyone wants. After all, most of us are constantly on the hunt to achieve our goals and aspirations. But is striving for flawlessness and setting high standards always a good thing?

The psychologists of Rice Psychology Group in Tampa recognize that perfectionism can come with many positives and negatives. For this reason it’s important that you and your loved ones learn how to recognize those times when perfectionism begins to cause more harm than good.

What is Perfectionism?

The best way to understand the concept of perfectionism is to recognize its definition. However, the one true definition seems to be a subject of disagreement amongst experts in the field. One common definition of perfectionism is composed of three key factors:

  • Incessantly striving for enormously high standards that can be deemed personally demanding and unreasonable for the individual from an outsider’s perspective.
  • Judging your self-worth on your drive and achievement of these unrelenting standards.
  • Experiencing negative effects due to these demanding expectations, but continuing to chase after them despite the cost.

When people think of a “perfectionist”, they tend to visualize a positive image of a high achiever who is constantly on the pursuit of excellence. This is because the positive impact of perfectionism can allow people to put a lot more effort into the things they do and regularly challenge themselves. This can additionally lead people to learn new skills and achieve good results. However, not everything is good when it comes to perfectionism.

When Things Go South

In some cases, the drive a person might have to perform well and reach their excessive expectations can actually impair their performance. This paradox of perfectionism dictates that having high standards, and constantly working hard to meet them, can potentially make things worse! The reason being that there’s a big difference between a healthy pursuit for excellence and the unhealthy struggle for perfection.

Your incessant drive to achieve your high standards can put you in a constant state of feeling stress, tension and being on edge. If you feel as if you can never achieve your goal or want to achieve more than before, you can eventually feel like your efforts are not enough. This self-defeating drive can leave you little space to feel good about yourself.

Additionally, the cost of a person’s pursuit for perfection can have a negative impact on their well-being. It can potentially lead to:

  • Social isolation
  • Depression
  • Frustration
  • Worry
  • Eating disorders
  • Relationship troubles
  • Insomnia
  • Poor health
  • Constant feelings of failure

Here When You Need Us Most

If you feel as if you or someone you love has been struggling with the effects of perfectionism, know that Rice Psychology Group is the place you can look to for help. Our Tampa psychologists will work side-by-side with you through the journey toward feeling like yourself again.

Our offices are designed to provide a peaceful and relaxing setting where you will feel comfortable talking about the situation you may be facing. For more information about our services, or if you have any questions for our psychologists, give us a call in Tampa today.

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