How Perfectionism Can Cause Depression and Anxiety

When Your Strive For Perfection, Your Mental Health May Be Sacrificed

When an individual is striving to reach unattainable goals, they may spiral into depression or cause immense anxiety to the point of causing one to turn to the substance of abuse in order to mitigate the side effects. Perfectionism, also commonly referred to as atelophobia, is one of the many reasons why individuals struggle with mental health disorders such as depression dffdand anxiety.

By realizing that perfection is unattainable, you can begin to focus on overcoming the mental barriers that have caused you stress. Setting standards that are too high can bring on feelings of distress which can take a severe toll on your mental health and mental wellbeing. Locating the root cause of the problem, in this case, seeking perfection, individuals can focus on taking care of their health and wellbeing.

Mental Health Disorders

Those who put a lot of pressure on themselves to achieve goals that are extremely hard to attain or unattainable at all are at a higher risk of developing a mental health disorder. Depression and anxiety are classified as mental health disorders that require treatment and counseling in order to manage and overcome. Without the proper help, individuals who struggle with mental health disorders run the risk of resorting to substances of abuse in order to self-medicate. This is a dangerous cycle that has adverse and negative side effects.

Other mental health disorders such as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) can be attributed to varying degrees of stress and anxiety. When an individual struggles with OCD, they become obsessed with perfection and excellence and everything they do they put under a magnifying glass to ensure its immaculateness.

While struggle with any type of mental health disorder may not seem as dangerous as struggling with an addiction to drugs and alcohol, it does have the capacity to control an individual to an unhealthy point.

Signs of Perfectionism

When an individual exhibits certain characteristics, they may be struggling with a serious underlying mental health issue. Some of the signs that an individual may be struggling with OCD and perfectionism are:

• A cycle of excessive behavior and thoughts
• Being irrational and unrealistic about certain things
• Having low self-esteem and insecurities
• Putting immense effort and time into projects, obligations, and responsibilities

In order to overcome the perfectionism that can very well lead to a mental health disorder to addiction, an individual needs to undergo a professional evaluation. This will determine what sort of struggles the individuals are going through so that the proper prognosis can be made. When an individual is stabalized, they are better able to live a life that is not controlled by their compulsive behavior.

You can change the patterns of perfectionism by understanding where your compulsions stem from so that you can make positive efforts to work through them. Additionally, learning ways to cope with your mental health disorder, whether it is anxiety or depression, can help you better manage the symptoms that come along with these illnesses.

By bringing your goals to a realistic and attainable level, you will be able to reach your objectives instead of falling short of impracticable expectations.

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.