The dangerous side of Perfectionism
With the upcoming exam period, it’s inevitable that the majority of students will be striving to achieve the best they possibly can. Despite differing standards I think it is also fair to assess that the majority of students will also experience a sense of anxiety and stress around the exam period. Whilst ambition should not be faulted for the most part, the danger of setting exceedingly high expectations comes with a host of negative and detrimental consequences. But surely perfectionism isn’t all bad?
In a society where it has become increasingly common to judge a person through the medium of their written achievements, rather than their personal attributes and characteristics, there is certainly scope for debate. With this in mind, the UK job market has also grown even more saturated, and the message we are now receiving is that it is now not purely a question of the grades we can attain, but how above and beyond you have gone to better yourself for a career. The danger associated with setting one’s standards even higher becomes even more a question of survival, and it becomes even less possible to lower ones standards to promote ones wellbeing.
However, it’s not purely a matter of spending the next 3 Saturday evenings in the library or asking for some more feedback from a personal tutor. Perfectionism has a much more dangerous nature and is inextricably entwined to leading UK mental health issues such as anxiety disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and depression.
Statistics are still assumed to be underestimated but suggest that 9.7% of the population are subject to mixed depression and anxiety, making it the most prevalent mental health population in the UK as a whole, whilst statistics for OCD are estimated around 2-3% of the UK population as affected. The danger of setting your standards too high means that if your targets are not achieved, as an individual you may be prone to punish yourself or diminish the effects your hard work. This can often mean a constant desire to achieve unattainable goals, and can correlate into a desire to please others over your own wellbeing, further risking the development of mental health problems.
With the forthcoming exam period, setting realistic and time-based goals with tangible short term results impedes you from working relentlessly over vast periods that may actually prove detrimental. Similarly, planning and taking regular breaks is not only scientifically proven to stimulate the cognitive function and production of new ideas but also acts as a relaxant, and causes the release of serotonin and therefore a more balanced mood.
Alongside this, regular communication with academic tutors can hopefully provide some aid in terms of planning your most productive revision schedule, whilst contact with friends and family can ease the burden of significant stress and stop the potential for isolation.
Above all, be kind to yourself this term, plan to do things completely separate from your studies, drink water, rest, and look forward to summer!