Our world is built on tech. If our tech runs smoothly, our lives run smoothly (for the most part!).
If you are in technical school or college, thank you! Your work is needed!
In the technical world, things change fast, so there is constant pressure to stay up to date on the latest developments. This can be a challenge for someone already working in the field, but when you’re still learning and building a foundation while ALSO having to keep up to date with these changes, avoiding mental overload can be a real challenge.
The internal pressure to excel in speed and aptitude, to pass all your tests with flying colors, and to impress your teachers so you have the best shot at the best programs and job opportunities can be immense and intense.
This constant internal pressure and drive towards excellence can produce greatness. But it also exists on a precipice - the constant pull towards perfectionism and high-functioning anxiety.
At Inside Wellness in Utah County, we know there are many students from Utah Tech University, Utah College of Applied Technology, Mountainland Technical College, and other schools and universities who work hard to excel in their studies…but also have a more private struggle between aiming for excellence and perfection.
Identifying the line between excellence and perfection can easily become blurry, especially when you’re working hard, sleep-deprived, and mentally exhausted from maintaining constant focus on your studies.
If you’re feeling the push and pull of this struggle, you are not alone. Perfectionism is a common problem among high-achievers (which many technical university and college students are), and often goes alongside high-functioning anxiety.
Perfectionism involves constantly trying to be perfect and produce perfect results, rarely (if ever) acknowledging your successes or achievements, and never being satisfied with your accomplishments.
Although that might seem to be a fastback to professional and personal success, the problem is that perfection is impossible for anyone to attain. That’s not a challenge; it’s simply a fact. Excellence is possible; perfection is not.
This relentless internal pressure to be perfect can start to wear you down mentally, emotionally, and even physically. It can begin to affect your relationships, both personal and professional. It can affect you to such an extent that you lose your passion and motivation for your studies, which can make burnout and dropping out of school an every-present threat.
This spiraling cycle of obsessive thoughts and behaviors often results in high-functioning anxiety: someone who lives with anxiety but feels they are still able to function in other areas of the life.
Just living with this combination of perfectionism and high-functioning anxiety can make you feel exhausted and trapped, slowly sapping your enjoyment of life and your studies.
The good news is that these two challenges can absolutely be helped and improved. A licensed mental health therapist who specializes in helping individuals with perfectionism and high-functioning anxiety will be able to gently and empathetically listen and guide you towards restoring balance.
If you currently live in the Salt Lake Valley, Salt Lake City, Holladay, Mill Creek, Murray, Provo, Orem, Lehi, Sandy or Draper, you likely have access to one of the most experienced and specialized therapy practices in the state.
Inside Wellness’ team of counselors specialize in helping individuals struggling with perfectionism, high-functioning anxiety, and eating disorders. Our therapists’ training includes therapy modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), talk therapy, and other therapy approaches proven to help with perfectionism and high-functioning anxiety.
If you are a technical university or college student in Utah and you know you need help to regain your inner balance, Inside Wellness can help.
Schedule a call today with our Care Coordinator who will help you find the therapist who will be the best fit for you