Perfectionism

Perfectionism, while distinct from OCD, can present similarly to OCD in many ways. In both conditions a person may struggle with avoidance, repetitive behaviors, and obsessions.

What makes perfectionism unique as compared to OCD is that perfectionism is more fueled by an individual’s self worth being overly dependent on their accomplishments and the amount of effort they perceive they are putting into their goals. Usually, perfectionism revolves around work, academics, and/or socializing, but can also affect the smallest details of one’s life, such as the way they clean or organize their house. Despite these differences the treatment for perfectionism has a lot of overlap with the treatment for OCD. Both are treated primarily through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques such as Exposure and Response Prevention and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. However, with treatment for perfectionism we also focus on reducing the impact that perfectionist tendencies have on one’s goals so that they are no longer held back by arbitrary mental rules and can achieve their dreams more effectively. We also target self esteem, helping the client learn to establish a sense of self worth that is not overly tied up with minute details of their performance or evaluation.