Perfectionism Therapist in Boston

 

ABOUT PERFECTIONISM

 

Perfectionism is a personality trait often seen co-occurring with OCD. People with this personality trait are considered to be “perfectionists” and have high expectations while relying on their consistent methods and routines. Oddly enough, people with this personality trait are held to double standards, where they are praised for their achievements yet struggle with issues surrounding control and dignity. The double standard for perfectionism is experienced differently by people who have this personality trait. It can come across as harmful or helpful, depending on the person.

 

What is the Cause of Perfectionism?

Perfectionism is primarily caused by the internal pressure to avoid failure and negative judgment from others. Among younger people, perfectionistic tendencies have seen a drastic increase over the past 30 years. A strong role that is ongoing during these tendencies is academic and professional competition and comparisons to oneself through social media use.

Signs of Perfectionism

People with perfectionism set extremely high standards for themselves and others. They find fault in themselves and others quickly and tend to be overly critical of small mistakes. Sometimes, they procrastinate projects and assignments due to the fear of failure and don’t pay attention to compliments or success that they receive. They search for the approval and validation of specific people within their lives. A lot of the time, perfectionism can backfire! Too often, we see individuals who spend hours checking and proofreading an assignment only to end up having to hand it in late because it wasn’t “perfect”.

Traits May Include:

  • Being highly critical of yourself and others

  • Feeling forced by fear

  • Having unrealistic standards and goals

  • Focusing only on results

  • Feeling depressed by not achieving set goals

  • Fear of failing

  • Procrastination

  • Defensiveness

  • Low self-esteem

Self-Help For Perfectionism

Everyone’s form of perfectionism is different. Luckily, we have provided some tips and strategies to help with perfectionistic behavior. 

  • Take on your perfectionistic thinking: Instead of accepting self-talk, challenge your thoughts!

  • Exposure Therapy: Challenge yourself to make small mistakes to learn that you can cope with them better than you thought. 

  • Experience self-compassion: Avoid your self-criticism and treat yourself as if you were your best friend.

  • Keep things in perspective: Ask yourself what the worst thing that could happen is, or will this matter tomorrow or next week?

  • Remove perfectionist standards: While letting go of standards, you will realize nothing bad will happen.

 

Perfectionism Treatment

Cognitive Behavior Treatment (CBT) is an evidence-based psychological treatment that has proven to be effective through scientific research for perfectionism. Studies have shown that CBT is an effective treatment for perfectionism, like anxiety, chronic pain, addiction, anger problems, and more. The CBT process is entirely based on an educational model where people with the perfectionism personality trait unlearn negative reactions and learn new positive and emotional reactions to their challenging situations. During CBT, everyday challenges are broken down into small and manageable parts and aligned with short-term goals to be reached. CBT is an effective treatment because it helps those with perfectionism address the issues with a positive outlook. The therapists at Soultality Center for Psychotherapy in Cambridge, MA, are with you every step of the way to help you conquer your perfectionism through our CBT treatment.