Types of Perfectionism and Treatment Strategies
Are you likely to place very high expectations onto yourself, others, or society as a whole? Do you tend to put pressure onto yourself to meet those standards, partake in self-criticism, and fear failure or judgment from others? Do you carry a lot of stress, worry, and negative thoughts about yourself? If so, you may be dealing with some common traits of perfectionism.
Perfectionism is a broadly defined personality trait characterized by an individual’s need and concern to be flawless and achieve perfection (Limburg et al., 2017). Individuals dealing with perfectionistic like tendencies, tend to place extremely high standards or expectations onto themselves or others and experience a considerable amount of self-criticism (Hill & Curran, 2016; Limburg et al., 2017). Individuals may only associate the concept of perfectionism with the self. However, there are many different types of perfectionism and ways it can present itself.
Below are three different types of perfectionism:
1. Self-oriented perfectionism describes the need for the individual (or the self) to be perfect (CPA; Canadian Psychological Association, 2020).
2. Other-oriented perfectionism describes the need for others who hold close relationships to the individual (family, friends, partners, and children) to be perfect (CPA, 2020).
3. Socially-oriented perfectionism describes the need for the public (colleagues, bosses, authority figures) to be perfect (CPA, 2020).
Perfectionism can lead to significant stress, procrastination, avoidance, maladaptive coping strategies, as well as interpersonal and physical difficulties (CPA, 2020; Hill & Curran, 2016). Furthermore, perfectionism can lead to more serious mental health concerns such as eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideations and behaviours (Hill & Curran, 2016; Shafran et al., 2016). However, there are many evidence-based treatments and coping strategies to help manage perfectionism. Charlie, Natasha, and Cara are a few of the many therapists at our clinic that are able to provide support for you or a loved one struggling with perfectionism. Below are just a few treatment strategies to help with perfectionism:
1. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy can be extremely helpful for individuals experiencing perfectionism and associated mental health disorders such as anxiety, eating disorders, and depression (Shafran et al., 2016). Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy aims to help restructure an individual’s current feelings, emotions, attitudes, and beliefs, helping to reduce the negative thought patterns and behaviours of perfectionism (Shafran et al., 2016).
2. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an effective mindfulness-based approach that can help reduce negative experiences surrounding perfectionism and increase overall well-being (Ong et al., 2019). This approach can help individuals understand and target patterns of avoidance and fears associated with perfectionism (Ong et al., 2019).
3. Guided self-help groups from various therapeutic approaches have also been noted as effective interventions for individuals experiencing perfectionism (CPA, 2020). Sharing your feelings with others and hearing from other’s experiences can help you recognize that you are not alone.
If you are struggling with perfectionism or any other mental health concerns and are unsure about what to do next or need to talk, please contact us at (647) 267-9853 so we can help you along your journey to mental wellness.
References
Canadian Psychological Association. (2020, September 18). “Psychology works” fact sheet: Perfectionism. https://cpa.ca/psychology-works-fact-sheet-perfectionism/
Hill, A. P., & Curran, T. (2016). Multidimensional perfectionism and burnout: A meta- analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review: An Official Journal of the Society
for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc, 20(3), 269–288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868315596286
Limburg, K., Watson, H. J., Hagger, M. S., & Egan, S. J. (2017). The relationship between perfectionism and psychopathology: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73(10), 1301–1326. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22435
Ong, C. W., Lee, E. B., Krafft, J., Terry, C. L., Barrett, T. S., Levin, M. E., & Twohig, M. P. (2019). A randomized controlled trial of acceptance and commitment therapy for clinical perfectionism. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 22, Article 100444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2019.100444
Shafran, R., Coughtrey, A., & Kothari, R. (2016). New frontiers in the treatment of perfectionism. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 9(2), 156–170. https://doi.org/10.1521/ijct.2016.9.2.156