Table of contents:
- Perfectionism at a glance
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) overview
- Do perfectionists have OCD?
- To what extent can perfectionism characterize OCD?
You may be called a perfectionist if you always insist that every job done must produce the best result, completely flawless. There is nothing wrong with trying to be perfect. Perfectionism might even be able to boost your success in a competitive society. But, is it true that perfectionism is a feature of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) like what many people say?
Perfectionism at a glance
Nobody is perfect. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to be the best. But there is a big difference between being someone who is the best in their field, and someone who is a perfectionist.
Achieving excellence presupposes that we are giving all our best to accomplish a task. Because the achievement target can be achieved, there is motivation towards it. The pursuit of excellence motivates us to try harder to be better than ever before. Hence, a job well done will feel satisfying. Satisfaction itself does not have to come from the praise of others, but from feeling satisfied with yourself has already missed a personal target.
On the other hand, a perfectionist expects perfection from both others and from themselves for the high personal standards he sets. They are hardworking people (or maybe workaholics) who crave order and predictability. While there is nothing wrong with having these characteristics, perfectionism becomes a toxic character when you want things to be done “flawlessly right”, or you will feel extremely anxious and stressed out once these expectations fail.
Toxic perfectionism is fueled by a fear of failing to please others and a fear of rejection and criticism. Ultimately this anxiety manifests in feelings of never feeling proud or satisfied because they never believe that their job was done “well enough”. Therefore, perfectionists will do everything they can to make sure that everything goes according to their criteria - by delaying starting / finishing or repeating work until they are sure of it, even demanding / criticizing others to work better. They can focus so much on trivial details that they forget the purpose of what they are doing.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) overview
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, aka OCD, is a mental disorder characterized by thoughts, imaginations, unwanted imagery (obsession) and / or repetitive (compulsive) behavior. Obsessions create anxiety and an urgent need to engage in compulsive behavior. People with OCD feel they have to do something over and over again or something bad will happen. This compulsive behavior is a "therapy" for them to reduce anxiety and stress due to the obsession.
For example, obsession is excessive thinking and worrying about germs. Meanwhile, compulsive behavior associated with an obsession with germs is washing hands. A person with OCD may have an obsessive thought that he will get very sick with a deadly infection if his hands are dirty, so he will continue to wash his hands five to ten times in a row before he can leave the house.
People with this disorder may not be able to stop this thought or move on to the next thought until their obsessive thoughts are reduced or stopped by their behavioral impulses. Unfortunately, this compulsive behavior is temporary, causing the person to get caught in a vicious cycle - fear of germs, washing hands, fear of germs again after washing hands, washing hands again, and so on like playing a broken cassette. The OCD ritual can last up to at least an hour a day.
OCD can cause a person to experience severe, even debilitating, stress for individuals who, for example, have to repeatedly wash their hands until they bleed, and continue to do so without understanding why. In other words, OCD interferes with everyday life.
Do perfectionists have OCD?
Judging from the explanation above, there is indeed a slight similarity between the two. Both may also be triggered by the same thing, such as childhood trauma or poor parenting. But basically perfectionism is a character, while OCD is a mental disorder that is recognized by the medical world and requires treatment. OCD is usually caused by genetic, congenital, and / or damage to certain parts or nerves of the brain.
The repetitive behavior shown by a perfectionist is based more on the desire to achieve perfection; a flawless finish. This behavior can still be controlled by the conscious mind. A perfectionist usually follows the 'rules'. As long as the individual carries out these rules, there will be no problems. However, a person with OCD will perform repetitive behaviors that can lead to physical and mental exhaustion.
This is because a person suffering from OCD is unable, or almost unable (forced) to do certain physical or mental activities without completing the ritual first. The anxiety disorder associated with NOT performing this ritual is almost unbearable; so he feels compelled and will work hard to reduce the anxiety.
A perfectionist will not experience excessive anxiety symptoms. They may feel angry and stressed about failing, but they usually don't drag on and aren't overshadowed by obsessive thoughts. Healthy perfectionists will make failure a lesson for future success. That is why not everyone who labels himself or herself as a perfectionist meets the medical diagnostic criteria for OCD.
To what extent can perfectionism characterize OCD?
Unhealthy forms of perfectionism (which are characterized by excessive stress and anxiety) can be strongly associated with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Especially if you have a strong desire that things have to be done "right" or require certainty, so that the dreaded outcome will not be real.
This association is especially clear when your type of OCD symptom focuses on checking (checkers). For example, if you feel like you are not perfectly certain (obsessive thinking) that you have locked the door or turned off the stove, you may come back to have it checked over and over again (OCD symptom). Associated with this is the excessive fear of making big mistakes (a characteristic of perfectionism), such as leaving the door open all day or burning the house by leaving the stove on.
Ironically, checking over and over again reinforces the idea that you are imperfect or maybe even "out of your mind." This can make you feel worse and less confident, which of course makes you check more frequently.
In the end, the unhealthy characteristics of perfectionism can further nourish obsessive thinking. For example, like many people with OCD, you may believe that you need to have complete control over your body and mind. Thus, when strange or sad thoughts enter your mind, you will label them a danger because you cannot control them. This in turn causes you to dig deeper into the thought, which helps create an obsession.
