Perfectionism

Perfectionism - a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable.

Most times people talk about being perfect or a perfectionist in a positive vein. Performing accurately, having perfect scores, being a perfect shot, settling for nothing less than perfection are all frequently quoted phrases that clearly regard perfectionism as a very desirable personal trait. Often times, people are even punished when they are not perfect as well as generously reinforced when they are. Our society generally promotes and rewards people that strive toward perfection and equally discredits or disregards individuals that “fail” to attain that standard. It is interesting that something so widely and universally viewed as a positive human behavior could also be filled with many negative psychological consequences.

In a recent article in Clinical Psychiatry News, a study was designed to assess the relationship between Perfectionism and Social Phobia. Findings suggested that individuals with elevated scores on a Self-Critical Perfectionism scale also had predictably higher scores on a depression rating scale. Also, individuals suffering from both depression and social phobia categorically demonstrated higher scale elevations in the measure of perfectionism. This studies “results demonstrate the validity of the new perfectionism scales in identifying maladaptive aspects of perfectionism in a clinical sample”. For more information view this article on Perfectionism or visit Contact Us for a FREE consultation on how to understand and cope with these traits in yourself.