Perfectionism and Stress
Abstract
The constructs of stress and perfectionism are detailed through consolidation of literature. Connections between the experience of stress and the personal trait of perfectionism are analyzed primarily through observed health effects, along with mechanical perspectives. Specifically, the potency of major depressive disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome are found to correlate strongly with perfectionism. An attempt to conclude as to how these associations are maintained is made by drawing information from varying sects of research, concluding that the most plausible reason is a loss of adaptability. Loss of adaptability is primarily facilitated through a malfunction in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which regulates the stress response system. Future research should attempt to explore in greater detail this system and how it is affected by external loads.