Depression, anxiety and suicide ideation are more common in the US, Canada and the UK now than a decade ago. Research shows that perfectionistic tendencies predict issues like depression , anxiety and stress — even when researchers controlled for traits like neuroticism. Worsening matters, being self-critical might lead to depressive symptoms but those symptoms then can make self-criticism worse , closing a distressing loop. One recent study , for example, found that over a one-year period, college students who had social anxiety were more likely to become perfectionists — but not vice versa.
And self-criticism, which perfectionists are so good at, predicts depression. When it comes to the most dramatic example, suicide, numerous studies also have found that perfectionism is a lethal contributor all on its own. One found that perfectionism made depressed patients more likely to think about suicide even above and beyond feelings of hopelessness.
A recent meta-analysis , the most complete on the suicide-perfectionism link to date, found that nearly every perfectionistic tendency — including being concerned over mistakes, feeling like you are never good enough, having critical parents, or simply having high personal standards — was correlated with thinking about suicide more frequently. The two exceptions: being organised or demanding of others. Some of those criteria, particularly pressure from parents and perfectionistic concerns, also were correlated with more suicide attempts.
Perhaps because a perfectionist's body is often awash with stress, perfectionism is correlated with earlier death Credit: Getty. And while conscientious people tend to live longer, perfectionists die earlier.
The meta-analysis by Hill and Curran is the first to comprehensively look at rates of perfectionism over a long period of time. In all, the studies added up to a pool of more than 40, US, UK and Canadian undergraduate students. There were increases across the board from to A decade-long look at adolescent Czech math whizzes found the same. In her clinical practice, where she often works with patients with eating disorders, Egan has seen it too.
So, I think, yes: each generation probably is getting more perfectionistic. Eating disorders, which often are driven by perfectionism, are on the rise across the globe Credit: Getty Images. Where is this increase coming from? After all, many of us live in societies where the first question when you meet someone is what you do for a living. Where we are so literally valued for the quality and extent of our accomplishments that those achievements often correlate, directly, to our ability to pay rent or put food on the table.
Where complete strangers weigh these on-paper values to determine everything from whether we can rent that flat or buy that car or receive that loan. Curran and Hill have a similar hunch. Competition even has been embedded in schools: take standardised testing and high-pressure university entrances.
Rather than perfectionism leading to academic success, researchers have found high-achieving adolescents are more likely to become perfectionists Credit: Getty Images. Similarly, the gold-star method of parenting and schooling may have had an effect. If other strategies, like making children feel guilty for making a mistake, come in, it can get even more problematic.
Research has found that these types of parental tactics make children more likely to be perfectionists — and, later, to develop depression. Fear of failure is getting magnified in other ways, too. Take social media: make a mistake today and your fear that it might be broadcast, even globally, is hardly irrational. At the same time, all of those glossy feeds reinforce unrealistic standards. As well as reinforcing unrealistic standards, social media gives us more reason to fear making mistakes Credit: Getty Images.
Some perfectionism is inheritable. But it also arises because of environment after all, if it were just genetic, it seems unlikely it would be increasing so much. So how can parents counteract it? On the other hand, it can cause you unnecessary anxiety and slow you down. What measures or practices can you use to keep your perfectionism in check?
Should you enlist the help of others? If this describes you, take heart. Reining in your perfectionistic propensities is not as hard as it sounds. Am I being productive? He suggests showing your efforts to a colleague or supervisor early in the process. Create a checklist The pursuit of perfection is a bit like wandering on an aimless journey, says Plummer. The perfectionist in you might fret over the font choice and sweat every semi-colon.
Break the cycle of rumination Many perfectionists have a proclivity to ruminate — repetitively mulling over a thought or problem without ever coming to a resolution. Make it clear that you want to hear how you come across.
Were there any instances where my perfectionism was not worth it? Were there any times this week when I took action, even when I felt uncertain, and ended up moving things forward?
It literally stopped me from doing new things. Earlier in her career, she worked for an online marketing agency. Stacy had never added a tag before and was petrified of doing it wrong. Instead of trying and risking imperfection, Stacy busied herself with email, building ad sets, and working on other marketing campaigns. It was at the top of my to-do list. Depression is not always preventable, but some tips may help manage symptoms or reduce the risk of a recurrence.
Here, we provide some tips that may…. Moving from a self-criticizing inner voice — the hallmark of perfectionism — to a more compassionate one can be challenging.
Here's our guide to help…. How perfectionism affects your mental health. Share on Pinterest The constant drive to do everything perfectly can often feel frustrating. What exactly is perfectionism? How perfectionism affects our overall health. Share on Pinterest Perfectionism has a particularly negative effect on college students, with studies showing alarming links with depression and suicide.
Living with a harsh inner voice. How to counter the harms of perfectionism. Exposure to air pollutants may amplify risk for depression in healthy individuals.
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