We all know that nobodys perfect, but it can be very hard to believe that about yourself.
There is a conditioned thought pattern of never feeling like youre doing enough or trying enough, Cummins says.
It might also be related to the family dynamic you grew up with.
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In fact, oneCognitive Behaviour Therapystudy linked perfectionism withanxiety,depression, andOCD.
The fear related to anxiety is similar to perfectionism.
Perfectionistic thoughts can be bad when it comes to how you view your body.
And in aJournal of Eating Disordersmeta-analysis, perfectionism was also tied to binge eating.
Perfectionism keeps your sympathetic nervous system activated, Cummins says.
Thats the one that triggers your fight-or-flight response and amps up production of the stress hormonecortisol.
Worrying about being imperfect has also been linked to trouble sleeping, according to a study inSleep Health.
But the chronic stress of perfectionism doesnt quiet down just because its the weekend or you went on vacation.
Instead, it can escalate intofull-blown burnout.
If you have kids, they might observe your behavior and start holding themselves to similarly unreachable standards.
Youre putting that same pressure on them, and thats not healthy either, Nielsen says.
While that can be more than a little frustrating to hear (its not easy to change lifelong patterns!
Most people dont want to live in a constant state of being in a negative mindset.
If not, give a shot to start talking to yourself more positively instead.
Look for a mental health professional who is specifically trained in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
(you’ve got the option to filter for ACT usingPsychology Todays Find a Therapist function.)
Remember theres so much yourenotseeing.
A lot of people only post on social media during happy times, Nielsen says.
Theres that false sense of reality there.
Things may look perfect, but literally no one is.
Say it out loud if you have to.
Its really not possible to be perfect, theres really no perfect out there, Nielsen says.
