Looking to add more books to your reading list this year? You’re Bookmaxing. Want to incorporate more fiber-rich foods into your diet? That’s FiberMax. Do you change your appearance to become more attractive? Looks great.
Doing the bare minimum is a thing of the past – unless, of course, you’re on Relax Max. On social media platforms, you can find almost anything with the suffix “maxxing”, which refers to the phenomenon of optimizing your approach to health, intelligence, and other factors of self-improvement.
The concept of maxxing coincided with a boom in the wellness industry. The Global Wellness Institute, a nonprofit organization that monitors trends in the wellness economy, estimates that the global market could reach nearly $10 trillion by 2030. Brands are looking at what people are trying to optimize for. Food and beverage companies are now offering more fibrous products, from popcorn to soda. Supplements and skin care products that claim to improve the quality and quantity of sleep are increasingly appearing on store shelves for Sleep Max enthusiasts.
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The MAXXING trend suggests that we should not just engage in activity, but accelerate the degree to which it makes us smarter, healthier, and otherwise better. This framework raises concerns for some mental health professionals and, perhaps ironically, for the Wellness Maxists among us as well.
Billy Dunlevy, a psychotherapist who works with clients across the UK, said that taking something to an extreme often “has a negative impact on other areas of life”, adding: “[It’s]clearly not healthy and that’s not what a qualified mental health professional would advocate.”
Jennifer Hartstein, a clinical psychologist based in New York City, adds that when it comes to maxxing, “the idea is optimization, but there are risks in overdoing it.”
‘Maxxing’ can be harmful without the right approach, experts say
Dunleavy and Hartstein say it’s inherently good to want to improve your health. They point out that how to pursue these goals requires insight. “It’s okay to be passionate about something,” Dunleavy said, but the MaxThing trend has “perfectionist ideals that aren’t grounded in reality.”
Lookmaxing, which often involves sculpting the jawline and attempting to make other facial features appear more attractive, is of particular concern, Dunleavy said. Actively looking for ways to change your appearance can lead to body dysmorphic disorder and other body image issues, even in low-risk people, she says. Tactics such as steroid use and rock-hard gum chewing can cause physical harm to the mostly teenage boys who follow the trend.
Even if you pursue something healthier, you may not want to get too fixated on your progress and turn your hobby into a chore.
If you set a goal to see seven movies in a weekend, but only see four, don’t beat yourself up, says Hartstein. Sticking too rigidly to a particular goal can “trigger an overall sense of shame and send you into a spiral,” she says. “For me, the biggest risk of maximization is the fact that it can actually increase people’s anxiety and depression… if it doesn’t work the way they want it to, or if it fails.”
If you’re too narrow-minded about achieving your goals, Hartstein says, you can neglect other areas of your life, such as your relationships. Some people who lean into trends like maxxing don’t feel happy even after achieving their goals. Dunleavy adds that this is because we’re stuck in a pattern of always looking for the next accomplishment instead of celebrating what we’ve already achieved.
“Even when they accomplish something that might have been really hard, something that they might have had to challenge themselves to do, they don’t feel particularly fulfilled,” Dunleavy says. “They move on to something else, and then they move on to something else, and then they do it again.”
Check in with yourself and ask your loved ones if their approach to self-development is healthy, Dunleavy recommends. If you find yourself engaging in unhealthy, compulsive behaviors, seek support from a mental health professional, she says.
Be clear about your “why” and give yourself some space.
Two mental health experts say it’s no surprise that people are turning to Max Thing, especially as society continues to feel uncertain and fearful about the world’s economic, political and environmental conditions.
“Everything feels overwhelming and chaotic. Focusing on one thing almost gives you a sense of stability,” Hartstein says.
However, you can still work on improving your life without putting too much pressure on yourself. First, ask yourself why you want to achieve a certain goal in the first place. Hartstein suggests asking questions such as:
“What goals do I want to set for myself?” “What exactly are reasonable goals for me?”
What works for someone else may not work for you. If your schedule doesn’t allow you to go to the gym four times a week, aim for a more realistic number to set yourself up for success. “Ask yourself: If no one was watching, if no one could see the quantitative results, would I still try so hard?” Dunleavy advises. “A lot of this is about optics.”
According to Dunleavy, self-optimization can become even more stressful when you’re navigating difficult situations in your life, such as job anxiety, sadness, or relationship conflicts. Both she and Hartstein say the healthiest hobbies and pursuits are ones that you can step away from whenever you need to, and resume when you have the time.
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