It is natural for a person to strive for excellence in his activities, trying to do his job better and of higher quality. However, when taken to an extreme, such a state from normal becomes pathological, provokes neurosis and, possibly, even a decrease in working capacity.
Perfectionism in psychology is called an unjustified striving for an ideal result. A person inclined to him is fixated on doing everything flawlessly: he can endlessly check the task already done, hone the details, find more and more blots and "irregularities". Because of this, the perfectionist very often does not have time to deliver the work on time and start something new.
Self-directed perfectionism can consist in incessant self-censoring, concentration on mistakes, constant doubts. In addition, such a person has very high standards, is especially susceptible to criticism, and is usually dissatisfied with the results of his work. Also, perfectionism can be addressed to other people and the world in general.
According to psychologists, the roots of this painful pursuit of perfection lie in feelings of anxiety, fear and self-doubt. For example, seeing all the "ugliness" of the interior, a person stares at it intensely, tries to make it more beautiful, more perfect, better, and therefore more comfortable for himself. Getting bogged down in a scrupulous pursuit of the ideal and losing the "narrative thread", he simply cannot move on.
Increased anxiety can be formed due to emotional "undernourishment" in childhood, due to individual characteristics, or from many unpleasant and difficult trials that one had to go through in life. Biochemically, anxiety is determined by low levels of the hormone serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of pleasure and contentment. Poor quality of work only exacerbates critical self-criticism, so "all or nothing" becomes the motto of pathological perfectionists chasing their longed-for "portion of happiness."
Think, is it really necessary to iron towels on both sides, to loosen half of a knitted scarf because of one missed loop, to re-read the written text ten times or to double-check a solved problem? Surely you will answer no, and agree that many of your compulsive actions are unnecessary. First of all, you need to understand that it is not only possible, but also necessary to deal with the "points" of your perfectionism.
To reduce stress, take breaks from work, learn deep relaxation and relaxation techniques, and exercise from time to time. Set yourself a deadline in which you have to get the job done. Divide the task into several small ones and overcome them sequentially, without giving yourself unnecessarily returning to the previous step and getting stuck on it.
Within the framework of psychotherapy, you can be helped to identify and eliminate the reasons why your perfectionism was formed, to form an adequate self-perception and self-image. In reality, it is important to accept yourself for who you really are, without building illusory pictures about yourself.
