ADHD and Perfectionism

Many may not think of or associate perfectionism with ADHD. However, many people with ADHD are perfectionists. With all the things that we’ve been told we do wrong or missed or didn’t do well enough, it can be easy for those with ADHD to want to do things perfectly.

However, perfectionism can backfire, especially when trying to achieve perfectionism with things that don’t require it. We may miss a deadline, or not do something we would do. Other things in our lives may be neglected.

It can be difficult to not strive for perfection, especially since individuals with ADHD don’t want to disappoint others, want to avoid criticism as much as possible, and such.

At the end of the day, no one is perfect. Nothing in life is ever perfect. It can be difficult for us to realize this.

One of the best things that ADHDers who are perfectionists can do is become aware that we can’t achieve our standards when we set them so high. It’s not realistic for anyone. By setting them so high, we most likely won’t meet those standards and just feel disappointed, anxiety, and a negative outlook.

By lowering our standards to a more realistic level, we are more likely to meet our standards and feel better about ourselves and have a more positive attitude. We have to be okay with doing the best that we can.

It does take time to adjust our expectations and how we do things, but it is entirely possible to overcome perfectionistic thoughts and behaviours.