Am I Experiencing Perfectionism?
A symptom checklist to help clients reflect on perfectionistic thinking and behavior, and consider whether further psychological support may be beneficial.
Am I Experiencing Perfectionism?
Striving to achieve your goals and ambitions can be rewarding. However, if you set very high standards for yourself, base your self-worth on achieving them, or find that trying to meet these expectations causes you significant problems, you may be struggling with perfectionism.
Perfectionism can be a serious problem, but is often difficult to notice. It can also contribute to other difficulties including anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
The Am I Experiencing Perfectionism? tool explores the common signs of this problem. Answering the questions below can give you an idea of whether it might be helpful to arrange a professional assessment.
Overview
Perfectionism is a self-evaluative tendency characterized by the relentless pursuit of high personal standards, often at the expense of wellbeing. Although not formally recognized as a mental health diagnosis in the DSM-5 or ICD-11, perfectionism is associated with increased risk of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and suicidality. This symptom checklist is designed to help clients and clinicians identify perfectionistic patterns that may contribute to emotional distress or impairment. It is not intended to provide a diagnosis or assess severity, but it can support early discussions about whether further evaluation is warranted.
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