i’m not sure if this is alright to ask, but i would be interested hearing first hand experience of perfectionism ocd. what type of thoughts occur + what compulsions take place ? hope everyone has a great day 🌸

Perfectionism can be related to OCD or OCPD. With OCD, the anxiety that comes with the possibility of having less than perfect outcomes is what leads to the compulsions. There's a lot shame underlying this form of perfectionism. With OCPD, the person rarely experiences anxiety and does not perform compulsions to reduce anxiety since anxiety rarely exists from their perfectionistic behaviors. The reason is because the OCPD person does not think their perfectionism is an impairment in any way but, in fact, the right way of doing a task. Moreover, they strongly believe that everyone around them should do a task similarly because it the "right way." Which category do you think you might fall in, OCD perfectionism or OCPD perfectionism?

personally, I just feel like I have to perfect everything. like, if I write someone a letter I make several drafts and will rewrite cards until my handwriting looks perfect and neat and the words are right. and I have the bad habit of thinking "if I can't make it perfect I have to give up entirely" for some things. like, if something isn't perfect it just isn't good enough and everyone will hate me or something. unrealistic, but that's how it feels

In other words it’s “my way or the highway” and if you’re not being perfect you are inferior to me....lol

Wow. Very enlightening. I’m going to discus with my PhD therapist next Wednesday. Thanks 😊

Symmetrical & precision or perfectionist ocd causes me to see everything out of place. Not lined up or not perfect from documentation to items in fridge to labels on bottles to items on walls to everyday tasks that must be completed perfectly. Things take forever to complete if done at all because they must be perfect. To relationships people not being just right to rigid standards etc... it’s an endless need to have control over everything in life. To perfect size the world. It’s time consuming and exhausting.

Alignment of throw carpets, pictures on the wall, coasters aligned with table corners, carpets with specks or crumbs it’s not in perfect order. Books cannot have creased covers, desktop icons must be aligned, lists and instructions laminated and typed perfectly, researching everything to perfection, items stacked just right, stamps on envelopes aligned perfectly in the corner of envelopes, projects must be done with extreme detail, can’t exercise unless everything is perfect. Binge eating, buying, gambling, hoarding everything to feel “just right”.

My dopamine receptors are thirsty.

If things are out of place around me like pictures on walls or ornaments etc I cannot concentrate properly, when I make things on my laptop for work I spend forever getting it just right, and when I put my hair up in a ponytail it takes me endless attempts and up to 80 minutes until it’s perfect, causes me a lot of stress and anxiety 😞