Do I suffer from the negative aspects of perfectionism?
posted by Nylorac on March 19th, 2011 at 9:32AM
posted by Nylorac on March 19th, 2011 at 9:32AM
From Wikipedia:
Negative aspects
In its pathological form, perfectionism can be very damaging. It can take the form of procrastination when it is used to postpone tasks ("I can't start my project until I know the 'right' way to do it."), and self-deprecation when it is used to excuse poor performance or to seek sympathy and affirmation from other people ("I can't believe I don't know how to reach my own goals. I must be stupid; how else could I not be able to do this?").[citation needed]
In the workplace, perfectionism is often marked by low productivity as individuals lose time and energy on small irrelevant details of larger projects or mundane daily activities. This can lead to depression, alienated colleagues, and a greater risk of workplace "accidents."[16] Adderholt-Elliot (1989) describes five characteristics of perfectionist students and teachers which contribute to underachievement: procrastination, fear of failure, the all-or-nothing mindset, paralysed perfectionism, and workaholism. [17]
In intimate relationships, unrealistic expectations can cause significant dissatisfaction for both partners. [18] Greenspon [19] lists behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that typically characterize perfectionism.
Perfectionists can suffer anxiety and low self-esteem. Perfectionism is a risk factor for obsessive compulsive personality disorder, eating disorders, social anxiety, social phobia, body dysmorphic disorder, workaholism, self harm, and clinical depression as well as physical problems like chronic stress, and heart disease.[citation needed]
Therapists attempt to tackle the negative thinking that surrounds perfectionism, in particular the "all-or-nothing" thinking in which the client believes that an achievement is either perfect or useless. They encourage clients to set realistic goals and to face their fear of failure.[citation needed]
Since perfectionism is a self esteem issue based on emotional convictions about what one must do to be acceptable as a person, negative thinking is most successfully addressed in the context of a recovery process which directly addresses these emotional convictions. [20]
[edit]Narcissism
Narcissism can be considered as a self-perceived form of perfectionism - "an insistence on perfection in the idealized self-object and the limitless power of the grandiose self. These are rooted in traumatic injuries to the grandiose self."[21]
Narcissists often are pseudo-perfectionists and require being the center of attention and create situations where they will receive attention. [22] This attempt at being perfect is cohesive with the narcissist's grandiose self-image. If a perceived state of perfection isn't reached it can lead to guilt, shame, anger or anxiety because he/she believes that he/she will lose the imagined love and admiration from other people if he/she isn’t perfect. [23]
Negative aspects
In its pathological form, perfectionism can be very damaging. It can take the form of procrastination when it is used to postpone tasks ("I can't start my project until I know the 'right' way to do it."), and self-deprecation when it is used to excuse poor performance or to seek sympathy and affirmation from other people ("I can't believe I don't know how to reach my own goals. I must be stupid; how else could I not be able to do this?").[citation needed]
In the workplace, perfectionism is often marked by low productivity as individuals lose time and energy on small irrelevant details of larger projects or mundane daily activities. This can lead to depression, alienated colleagues, and a greater risk of workplace "accidents."[16] Adderholt-Elliot (1989) describes five characteristics of perfectionist students and teachers which contribute to underachievement: procrastination, fear of failure, the all-or-nothing mindset, paralysed perfectionism, and workaholism. [17]
In intimate relationships, unrealistic expectations can cause significant dissatisfaction for both partners. [18] Greenspon [19] lists behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that typically characterize perfectionism.
Perfectionists can suffer anxiety and low self-esteem. Perfectionism is a risk factor for obsessive compulsive personality disorder, eating disorders, social anxiety, social phobia, body dysmorphic disorder, workaholism, self harm, and clinical depression as well as physical problems like chronic stress, and heart disease.[citation needed]
Therapists attempt to tackle the negative thinking that surrounds perfectionism, in particular the "all-or-nothing" thinking in which the client believes that an achievement is either perfect or useless. They encourage clients to set realistic goals and to face their fear of failure.[citation needed]
Since perfectionism is a self esteem issue based on emotional convictions about what one must do to be acceptable as a person, negative thinking is most successfully addressed in the context of a recovery process which directly addresses these emotional convictions. [20]
[edit]Narcissism
Narcissism can be considered as a self-perceived form of perfectionism - "an insistence on perfection in the idealized self-object and the limitless power of the grandiose self. These are rooted in traumatic injuries to the grandiose self."[21]
Narcissists often are pseudo-perfectionists and require being the center of attention and create situations where they will receive attention. [22] This attempt at being perfect is cohesive with the narcissist's grandiose self-image. If a perceived state of perfection isn't reached it can lead to guilt, shame, anger or anxiety because he/she believes that he/she will lose the imagined love and admiration from other people if he/she isn’t perfect. [23]
Poll: Do I suffer from the negative aspects of perfectionism?
History Would Suggest 'yes' (1/2) 50%
No (1/2) 50%
(The title of your last reply gets polled.)
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No
posted by dennisn on March 19th, 2011 at 10:35AM Of course, there are positive aspects to perfectionism which weren't mentioned here.
I think those negative aspects are mainly a result of our current abusive society. As in all abuse cases, the victim (ie. students, kids) is forced to suppress or devalue his self-esteem, as a defensive survival mechanism, to gain the approval from his abuser (ie. state teachers, bad parents). Currently, the vast majority of kids are violently forced into a cage for an obscene amount of time and violently forced to obey their usually-incompetent abusers/teachers (who are themselves violent theives). Most of the time, this violence extends into the remaining hours at home with parents. Most kids are never allowed to be free. They grow up broken, incapable of self-determination and dependent on future masters. Their paralysis and constant self-deprecation (ie. under the guise of perfectionism) is a lasting behavioral scar from this obscene childhood abuse. (Which is still popular today :s.)
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History would suggest 'yes'
posted by Nylorac on March 19th, 2011 at 10:30AM I think this explains the suicidal thoughts.
Edit: As regards the explanation of my suicidal feelings and thoughts, I was (in my mind) making a distinction particularly between the feeling of low-self worth and an existential angst as the potential cause, not that they are mutually exclusive.
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