Mental health experts warn on risks from viral 'maxxing' trends

Viral “maxxing” trends are turning everyday habits, from reading to diet and appearance, into social media campaigns for intensified self-improvement. The trend is developing alongside a fast-growing wellness economy, which the Global Wellness Institute estimates could approach $10 trillion by 2030.

The term is now attached to a broad range of pursuits. “Booksmaxxing” refers to expanding reading habits, “fibermaxxing” to increasing fiber intake, “sleepmaxxing” to efforts aimed at improving sleep, and “looksmaxxing” to changing one’s appearance in pursuit of greater attractiveness. Food and beverage companies have responded to consumer interest in fiber with more high-fiber products, while supplements and skincare items marketed around sleep are appearing more frequently in stores, according to CNBC reporting.

Mental health professionals interviewed by CNBC said the concern is not self-improvement itself, but the pressure to optimize ordinary activities to an extreme degree. Billie Dunlevy, a psychotherapist who works with clients across the U.K., said doing anything excessively can damage other parts of a person’s life and is not an approach licensed mental health professionals would encourage.

Jennifer Hartstein, a New York City-based clinical psychologist, told CNBC that “maxxing” is framed around optimization, while the risk lies in overdoing it. Both Hartstein and Dunlevy said efforts to improve health can be positive when pursued with realistic limits.

Appearance-focused trends draw particular concern

Dunlevy said looksmaxxing is one of the more worrying variants because it can involve efforts to alter facial features, including attempts to sharpen the jawline. She told CNBC that intensive focus on changing appearance can contribute to body dysmorphia or other body-image issues, including among people who might otherwise be at low risk.

Some tactics associated with looksmaxxing may also carry physical risks. CNBC has previously reported that teenage boys have used methods such as steroids and very hard chewing gum in attempts to change their appearance.

Experts said the same optimization framework can become damaging even when the underlying activity is healthy or benign. Hartstein said rigidly measuring progress against specific targets can produce shame when people fall short, which may worsen anxiety or depression. She cited the example of setting a goal to watch seven movies over a weekend and feeling distressed after watching four.

Hartstein also said an intense focus on goals can cause people to neglect relationships and other parts of life. Dunlevy told CNBC that some people become unable to feel satisfied after reaching a target because they quickly shift attention to the next objective.

Clinicians advise realistic goals and outside checks

Hartstein and Dunlevy said interest in maxxing may reflect a search for control during periods of economic, political and environmental uncertainty. Hartstein told CNBC that concentrating on one area can offer a sense of stability when broader conditions feel overwhelming.

The clinicians advised people to examine the reasons behind their goals and tailor them to their own circumstances. Hartstein suggested asking what goal is appropriate and what would be reasonable for the individual. Dunlevy advised considering whether the same effort would continue if nobody else could see the results, saying much of the pressure can be tied to appearances.

Dunlevy said self-improvement can become more stressful during periods of job insecurity, grief or relationship difficulty. Both experts said healthy pursuits should be flexible enough to pause when needed and resume when a person has capacity.

Dunlevy encouraged people to check in with themselves and with trusted friends or family about whether their self-development habits remain healthy. She said people who notice obsessive or unhealthy patterns should seek support from a mental health professional.

This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.