ADHD and Perfectionism: Why High Standards Become Self-Sabotaging

Introduction

Perfectionism and ADHD might seem like an unlikely pairing. Many people associate ADHD with disorganisation, missed deadlines and scattered thinking. Yet for many adults with ADHD, perfectionism is a serious obstacle to productivity and wellbeing, creating a paradox in which high standards actually prevent work from being started or completed.

Perfectionism in ADHD typically manifests as an intense fear of making mistakes, an inability to accept "good enough" solutions, and a tendency to set unrealistic expectations that lead to avoidance and procrastination. This isn't simply about being detail-oriented or ambitious. It's a harmful pattern driven by shame, fear of judgment, and the executive dysfunction inherent to ADHD, where the gap between intention and execution becomes impossible to bridge.

Understanding this connection is important because perfectionism-driven ADHD can severely affect your work, relationships, health and self-esteem. Yet it remains under-recognised both by people living with ADHD and by healthcare professionals. This guide explains what perfectionism looks like in ADHD, why it happens, how it differs from healthy striving, and what you can actually do to break the cycle.

If you've found yourself unable to submit work, send emails or make decisions because nothing feels "good enough", yet you're also struggling with the core attention and executive function challenges of ADHD, this article is for you.

Table of Contents

1. What Perfectionism Really Means in ADHD
2. Why Does ADHD Often Coincide With Perfectionism
3. Perfectionism vs Healthy Striving: Key Differences
4. How Perfectionism Manifests in Daily Life
5. The Shame and Anxiety Cycle
6. Perfectionism and Task Avoidance
7. Perfectionism in Work and Career
8. Perfectionism in Relationships and Social Situations
9. Breaking the Perfectionism Cycle: Practical Strategies
10. When to Seek Professional Support
11. Frequently Asked Questions

What Perfectionism Really Means in ADHD

Perfectionism in the context of ADHD is not simply the desire to do things well. It's a rigid, self-punishing belief system in which anything less than flawless execution is unacceptable and reflects personal failure.

For someone with ADHD-driven perfectionism, the internal dialogue often sounds like:

• "If I can't do this perfectly, I shouldn't do it at all"
• "This isn't good enough to show anyone"
• "People will judge me if they see my mistakes"
• "I need to redo this entire section because one sentence doesn't fit"

This differs fundamentally from simply having high standards. Perfectionism in ADHD typically involves:

All-or-nothing thinking: If something isn't perfect, it's perceived as complete failure. There is no middle ground between flawless and worthless.

Excessive focus on errors: A single typo, logical gap or imperfection overshadows the entire piece of work, making the person feel the whole thing is ruined.

Fear of judgment: Deep anxiety that others will discover mistakes and judge the person as incompetent, lazy or stupid.

Inability to finish: Perfectionism combines with ADHD's executive dysfunction to create a situation where work is never truly "done" and therefore never submitted or shared.

Emotional regulation problems: Mistakes feel like personal rejection rather than simply something that can be corrected. The emotional response is disproportionate to the actual error.

Research on perfectionism and ADHD, whilst still developing, suggests that this pattern is more common in adults with ADHD than previously recognised. One reason perfectionism often goes undetected is that people with ADHD-driven perfectionism frequently appear to be underperforming or lazy, when in reality they're trapped in a cycle of avoidance driven by fear and shame.

Why Does ADHD Often Coincide With Perfectionism?

The relationship between ADHD and perfectionism is not straightforward, but several interconnected factors explain why people with ADHD often develop perfectionist patterns:

Rejection Sensitivity and Fear of Judgment

Adults with ADHD frequently experience rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), a heightened emotional sensitivity to perceived criticism or rejection. RSD makes people with ADHD more vulnerable to shame and more likely to develop perfectionism as a defensive strategy.

The thinking goes: "If I make it perfect, no one can criticise me. If I make a mistake, I am the mistake." This conflates performance with identity in a way that non-ADHD perfectionism typically does not.

A Lifetime of Criticism and Shame

Many adults with undiagnosed ADHD spent decades being told they were lazy, disorganised, irresponsible or not trying hard enough. Teachers, parents and colleagues attributed ADHD symptoms to character flaws. This chronic criticism creates internalised shame.

Perfectionism becomes a compensation strategy: "If I work harder than everyone else and make everything flawless, perhaps I can finally be 'good enough' and escape criticism."

Unfortunately, this strategy backfires because:

1. ADHD makes consistent, perfect execution neurologically difficult
2. The harder someone tries to be perfect, the more failure they experience
3. Each failure reinforces the shame

Executive Dysfunction Creates a Perfectionism Trap

Executive function in ADHD involves difficulty with planning, organisation, task initiation and emotional regulation. When someone with ADHD sets perfectionist standards, they face a dual challenge:

1. The perfection standard is too high for realistic execution given their ADHD
2. The executive dysfunction makes it harder to bridge the gap between the high standard and actual output

This creates a specific trap: perfectionism demands excellence, but ADHD makes excellence difficult to achieve consistently. Rather than lowering the standard (which perfectionism resists), the person avoids the task entirely.

Dopamine Dysregulation

ADHD involves differences in dopamine regulation in the brain. Dopamine drives motivation and reward sensitivity. Some research suggests that people with ADHD may pursue perfectionism because:

• Perfectionism offers a structured, rule-based goal (which can feel motivating)
• The idea of achieving perfection provides a powerful (if unrealistic) reward to pursue
• Mistakes feel especially punishing because the dopamine "hit" of success is lost

However, perfectionism actually makes dopamine dysregulation worse because:

• Perfectionist standards are rarely met, so the reward never comes
• This creates chronic frustration and low motivation
• The person becomes stuck in a cycle of pursuing unattainable rewards

Masking and Overcompensation

Many adults with ADHD have spent years "masking"; hiding their ADHD symptoms to appear more capable and organised than they actually are. Perfectionism is an extension of masking: a way to present a flawless exterior to the world whilst managing significant internal chaos.

Masking requires enormous energy and perfectionism amplifies this exhaustion. Over time, masked perfectionism often leads to burnout.

Perfectionism vs Healthy Striving: Key Differences

It's important to distinguish between perfectionism (which is harmful) and healthy striving for excellence (which is adaptive). Not all high standards are problematic.

AspectHealthy StrivingPerfectionismMotivationIntrinsic; desire to improve or achieve meaningful goalsFear-based; driven by shame, anxiety and fear of judgmentFlexibilityAdapts standards based on context and resourcesRigid; same standards applied regardless of circumstanceMistakesViewed as learning opportunitiesViewed as personal failure or inadequacyCompletionWork is submitted/shared even if not perfectWork is rarely finished or shared because it's never "good enough"Emotional response to errorsDisappointment, brief frustration, then problem-solvingShame, anxiety, self-criticism, avoidanceImpact on productivityMotivates effort and completionCauses procrastination, avoidance and incompletionSelf-worth connectionSeparate from self-worthDeeply entangled with identity and self-worthFeedback toleranceAble to receive and integrate constructive feedbackFeedback triggers shame and defensiveness

People with healthy striving might spend time refining a presentation because they care about the content. People with perfectionism might spend the same time unable to start the presentation because the fear of imperfection is paralyzing.

How Perfectionism Manifests in Daily Life

Perfectionism in ADHD shows up in recognisable patterns across different life domains:

Work and Professional Tasks

• Email avoidance: Spending an hour composing a simple email because every sentence must be perfect. Often the email is never sent.
• Report writing: Starting a work report weeks before the deadline because perfection requires extensive time, then submitting at the last minute (or missing the deadline entirely) because it still doesn't feel ready.
• Presentation anxiety: Avoiding giving presentations or leading meetings because there's too much risk of making a mistake in front of others.
• Perfectionist editing: Endlessly revising work without ever reaching a point where it feels complete.

Academic Work

• Essay paralysis: Unable to start writing because the first sentence isn't perfect. The essay never gets started.
• Assignment avoidance: Waiting until the last possible moment to begin work because the pressure of an imminent deadline temporarily overrides perfectionism.
• Over-research: Spending weeks researching a topic because you might miss an important source, delaying actual writing.

Creative Work

• Creative block: Inability to share creative work (writing, art, music) because it's never good enough.
• Incomplete projects: Dozens of half-finished creative projects because nothing reaches the standard of "finished and shareable."
• Comparison trap: Comparing your work to successful creators' finished products (not their process) and feeling worthless.

Personal Care and Home

• Cleaning paralysis: Either not cleaning at all because you can't do a "thorough" job, or spending excessive time on cleaning because it has to be perfect.
• All-or-nothing eating: Either following a perfect meal plan or abandoning nutrition entirely.
• Appearance anxiety: Difficulty leaving the house if appearance isn't perfect; or feeling shame about not meeting appearance standards.

Relationships and Communication

• Message delays: Taking hours to respond to text messages because the reply needs to be perfectly worded.
• Social avoidance: Withdrawing from friendships because you're not being a "perfect" friend.
• Conflict avoidance: Avoiding necessary conversations because they won't be perfect, leading to misunderstandings.

Decision-Making

• Decision paralysis: Unable to make choices because no option is perfect. Endless research of options without choosing.
• Delayed action: Knowing what needs to be done but not doing it because the perfect time or method hasn't materialised.

The Shame and Anxiety Cycle

Perfectionism in ADHD creates a self-perpetuating cycle of shame and anxiety that makes the condition worse:

1. High expectation is set (often unrealistic given ADHD executive dysfunction)

2. Executive dysfunction makes meeting the expectation difficult (task initiation problems, time blindness, focus issues, emotional dysregulation)

3. Mistake or incomplete work results (inevitable given the mismatch between standard and capability)

4. Intense shame is triggered (far exceeding the significance of the actual error)

5. Anxiety about judgment increases (fear of being "found out" as incompetent)

6. Avoidance intensifies (not starting tasks, procrastinating, not submitting work)

7. Failure becomes real (missed deadlines, incomplete projects, relationship damage)

8. Shame deepens (the prophecy fulfils itself; the person "proves" they are incompetent)

9. Next expectation is set even higher (the person tries harder to compensate)

The cycle repeats.

This cycle is exhausting and demoralising. Importantly, it's not a character flaw; it's the predictable result of combining ADHD neurobiology with a shame-driven perfectionist belief system.

Understanding this cycle is the first step to breaking it, because it reveals that the problem isn't that you lack effort or willpower. The problem is that the entire system is maladaptive.

Perfectionism and Task Avoidance

One of the most damaging effects of perfectionism in ADHD is task avoidance. This is distinct from the procrastination that ADHD alone creates.

ADHD procrastination typically stems from:

• Difficulty with task initiation
• Time blindness
• Low dopamine motivation
• Difficulty assessing task duration

Perfectionism-driven avoidance stems from:

• Fear of failure
• Fear of judgment
• Belief that the task cannot be completed to standard
• Shame about potential mistakes

When ADHD and perfectionism combine, avoidance becomes severe because both systems are at play.

The Avoidance Payoff

The reason avoidance persists is that it works, at least temporarily. When you avoid a task:

• The anxiety decreases (negative reinforcement)
• The shame temporarily lifts
• You don't have to face the gap between your standard and your performance

However, avoidance creates new problems:

• Deadlines approach or pass
• Guilt and shame increase
• Real consequences occur (missed deadlines, damaged reputation)
• The anxiety actually intensifies
• The task now feels even more impossible

This is why ADHD paralysis, the inability to start or complete tasks despite knowing they're important, becomes such a significant problem for people with perfectionism and ADHD.

Recognition Without Self-Blame

It's crucial to recognise that task avoidance driven by perfectionism is not laziness or lack of willpower. It's an understandable psychological response to an impossible situation. Your brain is attempting to protect you from shame by avoiding situations where you might fail.

The limitation of this strategy is that it doesn't work long-term and creates new problems. The solution isn't to "just do it anyway" or try harder. It requires changing the underlying belief system about perfectionism and your worth.

Perfectionism in Work and Career

Perfectionism in ADHD has particular consequences in the workplace, where deadlines are external and mistakes are visible to others.

Common Workplace Scenarios

Missed deadlines despite early starts: A person with perfectionist ADHD might start a project early, work intensively, but miss the deadline because the work still isn't "ready" to submit.

Overwork and burnout: Perfectionism combined with ADHD often leads to excessive hours trying to meet an impossible standard, resulting in burnout.

Career underperformance: A person might be highly capable but consistently deliver below their potential because perfectionism prevents completion.

Difficulty with feedback: Receiving constructive criticism triggers shame and defensiveness in people with perfectionist ADHD, making it hard to learn and improve.

Reluctance to delegate: Believing that no one else can meet your standards, or fear that delegation will result in imperfect work.

Limited career advancement: The inability to finish projects, speak up in meetings or put yourself forward for opportunities due to perfectionism can significantly limit career progression.

Workplace Accommodations and Support

If you have an ADHD diagnosis, workplace accommodations can help:

• Clear deadlines and expectations: Removing ambiguity about what "good enough" looks like
• Regular feedback: Frequent, structured feedback can help you understand actual standards vs perfectionist standards
• Reduced scope: Breaking large projects into smaller milestones with defined completion points
• Accountability partners: Someone to help you submit work and move past perfectionism
• Flexibility on revisions: Knowing when something is truly complete and when revision is perfectionistic rather than necessary

Workplace support for ADHD and formal accommodations under the Equality Act can be critical for managing perfectionism at work.

Perfectionism in Relationships and Social Situations

Perfectionism in ADHD affects not only individual performance but also relationships and social wellbeing.

Impact on Romantic Relationships

People with perfectionist ADHD often struggle in romantic relationships because:

• Communication avoidance: Difficulty raising concerns or having difficult conversations because they won't be "perfect"
• Over-giving: Attempting to be the "perfect" partner by over-functioning, leading to resentment and burnout
• Conflict avoidance: Refusing to address issues because conflict feels threatening to the relationship
• Emotional intensity: RSD in ADHD combines with perfectionism to create intense emotional reactions to perceived criticism from partners
• Self-sabotage: Some people with perfectionist ADHD unconsciously sabotage relationships because they don't believe they "deserve" a good partner

These patterns often underlie relationship difficulties that people with ADHD experience, sometimes leading to relationship breakdown even when the relationship is fundamentally healthy.

Impact on Friendships

• Social withdrawal: Feeling like you're not a "good enough" friend and therefore withdrawing
• Message anxiety: Taking hours to respond to messages because your reply needs to be perfect
• Burden guilt: Believing you're a burden to friends and therefore avoiding asking for help or spending time together
• Authenticity challenges: Masking and perfectionism prevent genuine connection and sharing of struggles

Impact on Family Relationships

• Parental perfectionism: Parents with undiagnosed perfectionist ADHD may struggle with parenting, either being overly rigid and critical or feeling they're not good enough parents
• Sibling dynamics: Perfectionism can create resentment if siblings compare themselves or if there's a history of one sibling being the "perfect" one
• Shame with family: Difficulty sharing ADHD challenges with family because of fear of judgment

Breaking the Perfectionism Cycle: Practical Strategies

Breaking free from perfectionism in ADHD requires both cognitive shifts (changing beliefs) and behavioural changes (doing things differently). Here are evidence-based strategies:

1. Redefine "Good Enough"

The first step is to consciously establish what "good enough" actually means for different tasks.

Practical exercise: For your next work task, before starting, write down:

• What the actual requirement is
• What would genuinely meet that requirement (not your perfectionist standard)
• What would be "good enough" vs what would be perfectionist overkill

For example:

• Actual requirement: Send an email updating your manager on project status
• Good enough: Clear, honest, covers key points, no major errors
• Perfectionist standard: Perfectly worded, multiple revisions, reads like a professional article

Recognising the difference makes it easier to stop at "good enough."

2. Set Time Limits Instead of Quality Standards

ADHD perfectionism thrives when tasks have no defined endpoint. Setting a time limit forces completion.

Practical approach:

• Set a timer for how long you'll spend on a task (e.g., 45 minutes for an email)
• When the timer goes off, you're done
• Submit or send without further revision

This works because:

• It removes the possibility of endless perfectionist refinement
• It trains you that work can be complete even without being perfect
• It creates urgency that can help with ADHD motivation challenges

3. Separate Drafting from Polishing

One useful strategy is to completely separate the creation process from the refinement process:

First phase (drafting): Write/create without any internal critic. The goal is to get it done, not make it perfect. Set a time limit and don't allow revision.

Pause: Step away for a few hours or a day.

Second phase (polishing): Come back with fresh eyes and make necessary improvements. But set a time limit here too and a stopping point (e.g., "two full passes, then done").

This approach reduces perfectionism by building in a "permission to be imperfect" phase.

4. Practice Deliberate Imperfection

Deliberately submitting or sharing work that isn't perfect is one of the most effective ways to challenge perfectionism.

Exposure approach:

• Send an email with a small typo and observe that nothing bad happens
• Share a draft document with colleagues and notice the world doesn't end
• Make a presentation knowing it won't be flawless
• Post creative work online that you'd normally keep hidden

Each time you face the feared outcome and discover it's not actually catastrophic, your anxiety decreases.

5. Challenge Perfectionist Thoughts

When you notice perfectionist thinking ("This has to be perfect or I can't send it"), pause and question it:

• Is this standard realistic? Given my ADHD and available time, is perfection actually achievable?
• What's the actual risk? What realistically might happen if this isn't perfect? (Often the imagined consequence is far worse than reality.)
• What would I tell a friend? If a friend faced this situation, would you encourage them to pursue perfection or to move forward with "good enough"?
• Does this standard match the actual requirement? Am I applying my perfectionist standard or the actual external standard?

Over time, this thought-challenging rewires perfectionist beliefs.

6. Use External Accountability

Perfectionism often intensifies in isolation (when only you judge the quality). External accountability can interrupt this:

• Tell someone when you're finishing something: "I'm sending this email at 3pm whether it feels ready or not"
• Use an accountability partner: Someone who knows about your perfectionism and will encourage you to submit work
• Use body doubling: ADHD body doubling (working alongside someone) can reduce perfectionism because it adds social motivation

7. Address the Underlying Shame

Perfectionism often masks deeper shame ("I'm not good enough"). Addressing this shame directly is important:

• Recognise the source: Often perfectionism developed as a response to criticism or comparison during childhood
• Challenge the belief: Your worth is not determined by your performance or the absence of mistakes
• Practise self-compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness you'd offer a friend struggling with perfectionism

For many people, this deeper work requires therapy or counselling, particularly ADHD-informed CBT.

8. Break Tasks Into Smaller Pieces

Perfectionism feels more manageable when tasks are smaller. Breaking large projects into smaller milestones:

• Reduces the cognitive load
• Creates multiple completion points
• Makes "good enough" more achievable for each piece
• Builds momentum

For example, instead of "write perfect 10-page report," break it into:

1. Outline (done in 30 minutes)
2. First draft of section 1 (done in 45 minutes)
3. First draft of section 2 (done in 45 minutes)... and so on.

Each piece can be "good enough" without triggering perfectionism on the full project.

9. Use Constraint as a Tool

Sometimes artificial constraints help reduce perfectionism:

• Word/time limits: "This email must be sent in 10 minutes, maximum 3 paragraphs"
• Format limits: "I will send the first draft, not the final draft"
• Device changes: Writing on your phone instead of computer can reduce perfectionist editing

Constraints force you to let go of perfection and accept "good enough."

10. Recognise Progress Over Perfection

Finally, reframe success. Instead of "Did I do this perfectly?" ask:

• Did I complete this?
• Did I do better than last time?
• Did I move forward on this project?
• Did I face my perfectionism and do it anyway?

These are the measures of genuine success, not perfection.

When to Seek Professional Support

Perfectionism in ADHD often benefits from professional support, particularly if it's significantly affecting your work, relationships or wellbeing.

ADHD Assessment and Diagnosis

If you haven't been formally assessed for ADHD, an adult ADHD assessment can clarify whether ADHD is contributing to your perfectionism. Understanding that perfectionism is a feature of your ADHD (not a character flaw) can be enormously helpful.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

ADHD-informed CBT is specifically designed to address thought patterns and behaviours like perfectionism. CBT for perfectionism typically involves:

• Identifying perfectionist beliefs and their origins
• Challenging those beliefs with evidence
• Gradually exposing yourself to imperfection
• Developing new, more adaptive thought patterns
• Building tolerance for mistakes

CBT is among the most evidence-based treatments for perfectionism.

ADHD Medication

For some people, ADHD medication can reduce perfectionism by improving executive function and emotional regulation. When your brain can initiate tasks and manage emotions more effectively, perfectionism becomes less necessary as a coping mechanism.

However, medication alone typically doesn't resolve perfectionism; it works best in combination with psychological strategies.

Coaching

ADHD coaching with someone trained in perfectionism can provide practical strategies, accountability and normalisation of ADHD struggles.

When to Seek Help

Consider professional support if perfectionism:

• Prevents you from completing work or submitting assignments
• Significantly damages your relationships or career
• Causes persistent anxiety or shame
• Results in chronic procrastination and missed deadlines
• Is affecting your physical health or sleep

Frequently Asked Questions

Is perfectionism common in people with ADHD?

Perfectionism is more common in ADHD than many people realise, particularly in adults. It's often overlooked because people with perfectionist ADHD appear to be underperforming, when in reality they're caught in a perfectionism-avoidance cycle. Research suggests that rejection sensitivity and lifetime experiences of shame contribute to perfectionism in ADHD.

Does ADHD medication help with perfectionism?

ADHD medication can help by improving executive function, reducing emotional dysregulation, and enhancing working memory. Some people find that medication reduces the anxiety that drives perfectionism. However, medication typically doesn't resolve perfectionism alone; it works best alongside psychological strategies or therapy.

How is perfectionism in ADHD different from regular perfectionism?

Perfectionism in ADHD is often more severe and more closely tied to shame and rejection sensitivity. People with ADHD-driven perfectionism often experience greater emotional pain from mistakes and more severe avoidance. Additionally, perfectionism in ADHD is complicated by executive dysfunction; the perfectionist standard might be unrealistic given ADHD challenges.

Can I have ADHD without perfectionism?

Absolutely. Not everyone with ADHD develops perfectionist patterns. Perfectionism is more likely if you've experienced criticism, comparison or shame in childhood, or if you have rejection sensitivity.

Is perfectionism ever helpful for people with ADHD?

High standards and care about quality aren't inherently harmful. The problem arises when standards become rigid, unrealistic, shame-based and tied to your self-worth. Healthy striving for excellence is adaptive; perfectionism is not.

How do I know if I have perfectionism or just high standards?

Ask yourself: Can I submit/share/complete work even if it's not perfect? If the answer is no (if you consistently avoid finishing or submitting because it's not "good enough"), perfectionism is likely at play. Healthy high standards don't prevent completion.

What if my perfectionism is tied to my profession (e.g., I'm a surgeon, architect)?

Precision is genuinely necessary in some professions. However, even in high-stakes fields, perfectionism-driven anxiety and avoidance are counterproductive. The goal is precise execution without the shame, anxiety and avoidance. Professional support can help you maintain genuine standards without perfectionist suffering.

Can perfectionism in ADHD lead to burnout?

Yes. The combination of perfectionist standards, executive dysfunction, and the energy required to mask ADHD and manage anxiety frequently leads to burnout. Burnout is a significant risk for people with perfectionist ADHD, particularly in demanding careers.

How long does it take to reduce perfectionism?

Perfectionism typically doesn't disappear quickly, particularly if it developed over decades. However, recognisable change can occur within weeks if you use exposure-based strategies (deliberately submitting imperfect work) and thought-challenging. More fundamental shifts in shame and self-worth usually take months to years, particularly if working with a therapist.

Should I tell my employer about my perfectionism and ADHD?

Whether to disclose is a personal choice that depends on your workplace culture and legal protections. If you decide to disclose, focus on how workplace support for ADHD might help your performance, rather than framing perfectionism as a weakness. Many employers benefit from understanding ADHD-related perfectionism because it helps them structure tasks and feedback more effectively.

What if my perfectionism is actually preventing me from getting an ADHD assessment?

This is common. People sometimes avoid seeking assessment because they believe they're not "ADHD enough" or worry about being judged. If perfectionism is preventing you from getting assessed, remind yourself: assessment is for clarification, not judgment. An online ADHD assessment can be a less anxiety-provoking first step if face-to-face assessment feels too threatening.

Conclusion

Perfectionism in ADHD is a painful paradox: the higher your standards, the less likely you are to complete work and achieve your goals. This isn't a reflection of laziness, lack of ability or insufficient willpower. It's a predictable psychological response to combining ADHD's executive challenges with shame-based perfectionist beliefs.

Breaking this cycle requires both cognitive shifts (recognising that your perfectionist standards are often unrealistic and shame-based) and behavioural changes (deliberately practicing imperfection, setting time limits, and challenging perfectionist thoughts).

The good news is that perfectionism is treatable. Through a combination of strategies; redefining "good enough," using time limits, practicing deliberate imperfection, challenging perfectionist thoughts, and sometimes with the support of CBT or coaching; you can reduce the anxiety and avoidance that perfectionism creates.

If perfectionism is significantly affecting your work, relationships or wellbeing, or if you suspect ADHD is contributing to your perfectionist patterns, an adult ADHD assessment can provide clarity and open doors to treatment options including therapy and medication. The experiences described in this guide don't have to be permanent, and they're far more treatable once you understand what's happening.