It is common for a person in his activity to strive for excellence, trying to do his job better and better. However, being taken to extremes, such a condition from normal becomes pathological, provokes neurosis and, possibly, even a decrease in working capacity.
Perfectionism in psychology is an unjustified desire for an ideal result. A man inclined toward him is fixated on doing everything perfectly: he can infinitely check an already completed task, hone details, find more and more blots and “irregularities”. For this reason, the perfectionist very often does not have time to deliver the work on time and take on something new.
Perfectionism addressed to oneself can consist in constant self-censorship, concentration on mistakes, constant doubts. In addition, such a person has very high standards, is particularly susceptible to criticism of his address and is usually dissatisfied with the results of his activities. Perfectionism can also be addressed to other people and the world at large.
According to psychologists, the roots of such a painful pursuit of excellence lie in a sense of anxiety, fear and self-doubt. For example, seeing all the "ugliness" of the interior, a person peers intently at it, trying to make it more beautiful, more perfect, better, and therefore more comfortable for itself. Absorbed in a meticulous race for the ideal and losing the “thread of narration, ” he simply cannot move on.
Increased anxiety can form due to emotional "malnutrition" in childhood, due to individual characteristics or from the many unpleasant and difficult trials through which one has to go through life. From a biochemical point of view, anxiety anxiety is determined by the low level of the hormone serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. The poor quality of work only exacerbates critical self-esteem, so "all or nothing" becomes the motto of pathological perfectionists chasing their coveted "portion of happiness."
Think about it, is it so necessary to iron towels on both sides, dissolve half of the knitted scarf due to one missing loop, re-read the written text ten times, or double-check the solved problem? Surely you will answer no, and you will agree that many of your obsessive actions are superfluous. First of all, you need to understand that to fight with the "points" of your perfectionism is not only possible, but also necessary.
To reduce stress, take breaks in work, learn the techniques of deep relaxation and relaxation, exercise from time to time. Set yourself the deadlines by which you must complete the work. Break the task into several small ones and consecutively overcome them, not allowing yourself to return to the previous step and get stuck on it without any special need.
As part of psychotherapy, you can be helped to identify and eliminate the reasons why your perfectionism has formed, to form an adequate self-perception and self-image. In reality, it’s important to accept yourself as you really are, without building illusory pictures about yourself.