The Relationship Between Dysfunctional Perfectionism, Anxiety And Depression
In a society where the importance of effort and hard work ethic is constantly emphasized, it is common to assume that being a perfectionist is, by default, a positive thing. However this is not entirely true. Psychologists know that there are various forms of perfectionism, and some of them are dysfunctional, wearing down the person’s mental health and their quality of life in general.
For example, this is what happens when the quality standards that we set as a reference are given to us mainly through social pressure, and when we are motivated more by the fear of falling behind others than by the desire to do things. well for the satisfaction that this task in itself generates in us.
Taking this into account, It should come as no surprise that dysfunctional perfectionism is linked to disorders such as generalized anxiety or depression.. In this article we will see how this type of links takes place between psychological elements that are apparently very different from each other.
How can dysfunctional perfectionism lead to the appearance of anxiety problems?
Dysfunctional perfectionism is characterized by the establishment of very high standards of demand or performance, to levels that are often unattainable, in an area of life or in the face of day-to-day obligations and responsibilities in general.
This requirement, both in the academic and work spheres or in interpersonal relationships, originates from a behavioral dynamic in which the demands of the environment and self-demand mix and become confused because of the biased way in which the person interprets what life expects of them.
Below I will talk about how this perfectionist way of being can lead to physical and psychological exhaustion through the accumulation of anxiety.
1. Excessive control
One of the main ways in which dysfunctional perfectionism can cause a case of anxiety in the person who suffers from it is through excessive control of any activity that is carried out, and the permanent search for “excellence” (in quotes because the person assumes it as something objective and external to themselves, even though in reality it is not like that).
Constantly trying to have control in any daily activity ends up being exhausting for the person on a psychological level and is a situation that usually generates symptoms of generalized anxiety or even Burnout syndrome.
2. Fear of failure
The fear of failure is another of the main generators of anxiety in people who present a profile of dysfunctional perfectionism in any area of their daily lives.
This permanent fear of failing or simply of not achieving the success that was expected in a specific job, an exam, a physical test or any other activity ostensibly affects the person from a psychological point of view, and over time the effects discomfort or anxiety can be even worse.
In the most extreme cases, this psychological element also leads to the appearance of another class of anxiety disorders: phobias.. And the fear of failure can paralyze a person, to the point that they enter into a dynamic of avoiding what they feel the need to do.
3. Obsessive thoughts
Another of the classic characteristics that many people with dysfunctional perfectionism present are obsessive or ruminative thoughts that are constantly repeated in their heads.
These recurring thoughts have a very negative effect due to their eroding effect on mental health: No one likes having to deal over and over again with the same type of disturbing mental images, catastrophic predictions, etc. They are like: “I have to achieve success in my project or no one will respect me anymore”, “I have to be the best to earn a living” or “I have to improve my performance a lot to be accepted in my circle of friends”.
Burnout Syndrome consists of a chronic nature of work stress and is strongly related to the anxious symptoms of dysfunctional perfectionism.
This syndrome is suffered daily by thousands of workers in our country and is characterized by a general state of physical and mental fatigue and due to dissatisfaction and discomfort with the work carried out and the results obtained.
5. Eating disorders
Another area linked to dysfunctional perfectionism consists of constantly review and judge one’s own personal or physical image. This leads many people to try to alleviate the discomfort that this causes them by entering a spiral of excessive exercise and concern about body weight, something that occurs especially in women.
People who worry excessively about their weight or who spend all day thinking about exercising and burning calories can develop an eating disorder, with anorexia and/or bulimia being the most common.
How is dysfunctional perfectionism related to depression?
Dysfunctional perfectionism can also be related to the appearance of cases of depression; Here we will look at some of the ways this can happen.
1. Self-esteem problems
Low self-esteem in people with dysfunctional perfectionism is related to excessive self-demand and in the belief that one is not going to achieve anything one sets out to do. This occurs in part because the person learns to value himself solely based on the objective results in what he wants to excel in, without considering everything else.
By not reaching the quality standards or proposed objectives, the person ends up thinking recurrently that he is not suitable for the position assigned to him, that he is not as good as he thought or directly considers that he is a fraud, suffering from depression syndrome. impostor.
You may be interested: “Do you really know what self-esteem is?”
Dysfunctional perfectionism also fuels permanent feelings of frustration, which can end up causing cases of depression. This occurs when the person had internalized a series of unrealistic expectations about a promising future that awaited them.
This frustration usually extends to all areas of the person’s life, whether at a personal, work, or academic and social level.
3. Demotivation
Demotivation is also related to frustration, and is a very characteristic state of dysfunctional perfectionism that leads to a lifestyle marked by passivity.
Many people who feel dissatisfied or frustrated with their performance will also end up feeling demotivated or sad because they believe that they have not done things as well as they intended. In turn, the passive and sedentary lifestyle, linked to social isolation and physical exhaustion, facilitates the onset of depression, among other things because it does not provide incentives or exciting experiences.
4. Negativity
People who present a dysfunctional perfectionism profile have a tendency to have very negative thoughts about the future, and to consider that everything will go wrong for them. They adopt a very pessimistic framework of interpretation of reality, which leads them to go through more unpleasant situations that, in turn, confirm that pessimism.
This way of thinking also contributes to general negativity and can eventually lead to depression.
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I am a psychologist with more than a decade of experience in the field of mental health and I serve adults, adolescents and couples; I offer online therapy sessions by video call.
