The Concept of Perfectionism

Patricia Grabb

12/14/00

The Concept of Perfectionism

Do you push yourself to be the best? Do you get mad at yourself for not doing the best? Do you delay assignments till the last possible limit because of fear of rejection? Do you feel horrible when work isn't done to your best ability of when minor failures seem like catastrophic ones? These are all signs of what is known as perfectionism (Pacht 1984). If you seem to agree with most of these things then you might be a perfectionist. According to Webster's dictionary, it states that perfectionism is "a disposition which regards anything less than perfect, unacceptable." Many people in the world suffer from perfectionism. So is that case of Mike Bellah. His perfectionism lead him to a lifestyle where he lost who he was. He states, "When we're always playing a part, we no longer know who we really are." Perfectionists try to do everything perfect leading them to an unstable, unsatisfying life. There are many characteristics and effects of perfectionism. Coping with the disorder of being a perfectionist can lead to a much more stable life.

There are many characteristics and causes of perfectionism "It's a compulsive guide to unrealistic goals" says psychiatrist David Burns. "Setting high personal standards and goals, and working hard to attain them is appropriate," he states, "however, perfectionists set excessively high goals and strive compulsively to achieve them." Perfectionists have the constant drive to be perfect. Anything less than the best is unacceptable to them. They refuse to live with anything than the best. The constant strive for excellence in everything that one does is one key characteristic when describing

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perfectionism. Their measurement of their worth is entirely in terms of productivity and accomplishment. Perfectionists try to do so much to please others, and to show how much they can do, and overlook what they really want to do in life. They might take on so many jobs and get in over their head. They can't say no to an idea because they would consider

that failure. Many times, perfectionists start things over because things aren't going perfect (Pacht 1984). Some have long delays in completing assignments, or repeatedly starting over on assignments because the work must be prefect from the beginning and continue to be perfect as one goes along. The causes of perfectionism can be described by the in these thoughts or beliefs illustrated by the SUNY Potsdam Counseling Center. First there is fear of failure: when not accomplishing one's goal to the best of their ability, it lowers their personal worth to others. Second the fear of making mistakes: one may not answer a question in class for fear of mistakes, or delay projects because of fear that it may be wrong in the end. Third is fear of disapproval: if one lets others see their flaws, they fear they will no longer be accepted, and try to protect themselves from criticism, rejection and disapproval. Four is the all-or-none thinking: perfectionists think that they are worthless if their projects aren't done perfectly. If one gets B, instead of an A, they might think that they are a total failure. Fifth is the overemphasis on "shoulds": They live in a life of standards and rules to lead their life. With an overemphasis on what they need to do, they forget what they want. Last is the belief that others are easily successful: perfectionists see others accomplishing things and think that they do it with minimum effort and little stress. They keep viewing their efforts and unending and insubstantial.

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These causes of perfectionism make those with the disorder to shut out the world, along with many other results (S.P.C.C. 2000).

The effects of perfectionism can be small or they can lead to other problems. The cycle of perfectionism as stated by the SUNY Potsdam Counseling Center can lead people to an unhealthy life. "First, perfectionists set unrealistic goals. Second, they fail to meet

these goals because the goals were impossible to begin with. Third, the constant pressure to achieve perfection and the inevitable constant failure reduce productivity and effectiveness. Fourth, this cycle leads perfectionists to be self-blaming which results in lower self-esteem. This may lead to anxiety or depression. Another effect of perfectionism is suicide. The American Psychologist Association recently did a study and found that "the very quality that drives some individuals to very high levels of achievement - perfectionism - may also lead to their self-destruction." In the article "The Destructiveness of Perfectionism: Implications of the Treatment of Depression," Sidney J. Blatt, Ph.D., psychologist from Yale University identified three types of perfectionism: other-oriented, self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism. Other-oriented is described as pleasing others. Self-oriented is described as setting impossible goals for yourself and dealing with one's failure. Socially prescribed perfectionism is described attaining high achievement to win the acceptance of others. She says that the latter two have been linked with a higher risk of depression and suicide. Some people dealing with perfectionism may try to shut-out