The myths of perfectionism

In handwriting, perfectionism often shows up as a perfectly straight baseline. If you write on unruled paper and your lines stay as straight as if drawn with a ruler, you may well be a perfectionist. So may someone who prefers writing in pencil: perfectionists don’t like others to see their mistakes, and would rather erase them.

Perfectionism is a compulsive need to have everything in order, down to where a pen sits on the table.

Perfectionists can spend a lot of time on unproductive details, and take up the time of the people they work with too. Perfectionism is common in people with obsessive-compulsive tendencies. It can work as a defence, a way of keeping others out of one’s inner circle, and it can make adjusting to change harder.

Perfectionism is not the strength it appears to be. It can push us towards good outcomes, but it often comes from a fragile sense of self, and it leaves a person feeling incomplete and helpless whenever they, or the people around them, fall short.

Many people are proud to call themselves perfectionists. It is worth reflecting on. If this sounds like you, counselling and psychotherapy can help you loosen its grip.

This article was first published on Practo Health Feed. Read the original on Practo