The Perfectionism Pandemic Meets COVID-19: Understanding the Stress, Distress, and Problems in Living For Perfectionists During the Global Health Crisis

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis that is challenging for everyone. Concerns are being expressed about a pending mental health crisis as people try to cope with their fears, stressors, and life disruptions. In the current commentary and analysis, we examine what we refer to as “the perfectionism pandemic” (i.e. the widespread and growing prevalence of perfectionism) and what it means to be highly perfectionistic and driven during this period of great stress and uncertainty around the world. We present the argument that the nature and experiences associated with the global health crisis are exacerbating the already high levels of stress and distress and complex psychological problems found among vulnerable perfectionists. One key point of emphasis in this article is the enormous burnout and potential trauma experienced by frontline medical personnel who are driven to be perfect and who feel compelled to live up to prescribed expectations and demands to be perfect. We also discuss the impact of periods of social and physical isolation on perfectionistic people who have been already experiencing loneliness and who may have pre-existing difficulties in their interpersonal relationships. We conclude with a series of recommendations for perfectionists in order to help them cope with the pandemic and find better ways of living through the pandemic. Key themes include the humanistic focus on being rather than doing in daily life and the need for an improved life balance that is rooted in interpersonal connections and acceptance of self and others.