OCPD & Perfectionism
Perfectionism is a character trait that can be seen in many mental health problems. It’s a common thread running through things like OCD, OCDPD, BFRBs, Anxiety, and Depression. Perfectionism is typically characterized by all-or-nothing thinking. It’s a “do it right or don’t do it all” mentality. For many perfectionists, you either get an ‘A’ or an ‘F’; there is no in between. While a desire to pursue excellence is wonderful, the rigid pursuit of excellence no matter the cost can start to become problematic.
If you put everything you have into your role as an employee or student, that means you have nothing left to put into your role as friend or partner. You have nothing in the tank to take care of yourself or attend to your hobbies or interests. It’s tempting to give each thing in your life 100%, but the reality is that you have 100% to give and you have to choose how to spread it around across all of the different spheres of your life.
Sometimes this rigid, perfectionistic approach to life can become pervasive enough that it starts to get disruptive. Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is characterized by a rigid, rule-driven approach to life. While individuals with OCD feel driven to perform compulsions because they feel like they have to; individuals with OCPD feel assured in their behaviors and believe that they should be doing them in precisely the way that they are. Distress typically does not come from performing these rigid behaviors, but from the ways in which the rigidity impacts the world around them. It’s the frustrated spouse or the disgruntled employer, the irritation when rules go unfollowed or when systems don’t work smoothly. The belief that their way is the “right” way works just fine until it they bump up against factors outside of their control.
While individuals with OCPD may get some benefit from exposure-based approaches like ERP, it’s also important for them to practice flexibility. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can be a helpful addition to the treatment plan.
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