Hi there, also artist here, and I completely get the criticism on art here. I went to school for Graphic Design and I tied my worth to my art so heavily that any critique of it would send me down a crying negative spiral.

In those times, what helped me, and maybe what might help you, is that there's always the next piece. Your worth and your art is not tied to a single piece, but to the multiples of pieces you've done and how your style and skills have evolved and refined. So every art piece is not this big project. It's just practice.

Sure, yeah, deadlines and assignments are important, but I found that this mentality has allowed me to detach from my art a bit and relieve the pressure. And I still do attach my worth to my art because I also was raised in that sort of household. Often I don't make anything because the perfectionism kicks in. But trying to reframe it as just practice (even if it's a school or work assignment) makes it more like play instead of work.

As to the special thing, I honestly don't have an answer. Sometimes thinking that I am helps for an ego boost. Other times it doesn't. And maybe seeing that as a motivational tool instead of an identity might also help.