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Emotional Well-Being and the High Achiever

User Profile: comfortableNight4463
comfortableNight4463 September 11th, 2022

"High-achieving individuals of all ages (including executives, entertainers, athletes, students, and parents) can often appear to have it all together. They work hard, exercise discipline, attain goals, and typically appear to be in control with little or no emotional stress.

Don’t Let Them See You Sweat

The high achiever was expected to cope well, consistent with the old saying, “never let them see you sweat.” Maintaining this image requires putting on a mask, hiding vulnerability, and not letting anyone see them as “weak.” But pushing down emotions and putting on a false front takes its toll emotionally and can limit the support that might be available if others understood better the stress the person was experiencing. Not being vulnerable separates you from connections with others.

It's Not Work Because I Love Doing It

High achievers often love what they do. It’s also true that when you do what you love, you are more susceptible to burnout. When you identify with your work, it can lead to a lack of balance with your personal life, difficulty setting boundaries, and an increased sense of loneliness.

Depression and High Achievers

Research shows that high achievers have a high incidence of depression. High-achieving students suffer from anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and delinquent behavior at a rate that is two to three times higher than the national average. What’s contributing to these high rates of depression? High achievers are likely to have high competition comparisons. They tend to see other people as competitors and are scanning to see how their performance measures up, with a focus on winning or losing in each comparison.

High achievers may see their success only in terms of the most recent performance or test. Maladaptive perfectionism plays a role too. High achievers can be overly critical of their performance and seek to attain perfection, though they often don’t acknowledge it. High achievers may also tend to see their value in their achievements, not who they are as a person. Their identity becomes that of a “high-achiever.”

The Value of Therapy

Too many high-achieving students and professionals are silently suffering. Therapy can help you find your focus, your balance, and create the best life for you."

Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!

Reflection:

Did you ever put yourself under intense pressure to achieve something? How did it affect you in the long run?

#BurnOut #EmotionalRegulation #MentalHealth



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User Profile: innateJoy9602
innateJoy9602 September 11th, 2022

@comfortableNight4463

Yes, I have! It has definitely led to burnout sometimes.

It's important to have the right balance!

Thanks for the great article! :)💛✨

User Profile: calmDew1576
calmDew1576 September 11th, 2022

@comfortableNight4463 Very interesting post! it's very common for me to experience depression when I'm almost at the point of achieving my goal than when I'm not close yet!

Maybe I feel like I have something to lose after trying so hard and i experience some anxiety that I don't want all this effort to be for nothing.

I usually put a lot of pressure on myself to achieve something. My current goal is to take some time to appreciate myself more and make more time for self-care!

Thank you for the post!

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