Having Been Through A Difficult Experience, These Are 5 Reasons Someone Becomes A Perfectionist

Illustration of perfectionist nature (Unsplash/Icons8 Team)

JAKARTA – Perfectionists can be driven by pressure from within, such as the desire not to fail or avoid bad judgment. Perfectionism is generally experienced at a young age until the end of 30 years.

There are 3 different aspects of the perfectionist trait, reported by Psychology Today, Wednesday, December 22. Among them is self-orientation to be a perfectionist who often has an unrealistic desire to be a perfect self.

Second, setting standards for others to be perfect and unrealistic to achieve. Third, unrealistic expectations because they want perfect results.

Having a perfectionist nature, according to experts, is not a mental illness, but is considered a trigger for mental disorders that cause compulsive behavior, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). A person with a perfectionist trait is not without reason, reported by PsychCentral, the following factors drive these traits in a person:

1. Growing up in an unrealistic environment

Parenting patterns in childhood affect the formation of character. A person who is raised in a pattern that has high or even unrealistic expectations unwittingly sets perfection as the standard. For example, parents ask their children to always get an A in school.

2. Often get punished

Mistakes are a place to learn, but for parents who give harsh punishments when children make mistakes, they subconsciously form a strategy for avoiding mistakes by being perfect. Someone with a perfectionist nature, may have received severe punishment from their parents, yelling, humiliating treatment, physical punishment, even silence or neglect from their parents.

3. Lack of attention from the closest people

Children have a strong desire to please adults. They don't have the thinking skills or life experience to understand that adults make mistakes too.

When adults tell their children that they have failed, are not smart, are too fat, children can internalize the message. Then the children believe that being what their parents want is the best way not to get harsh ultimatums.

4. Receiving excessive praise

Perfectionism can also be learned by children who grew up around very successful and perfectionist parents. They imitate the way their parents think and act. Perfectionism is also encouraged when they are children receiving excessive praise for their achievements, not their efforts or progress.

5. Being perfect is a way of surviving chaos

Being perfect can also be a defense against a messy home and feelings of insecurity. A perfectionist might even think of a strict diet as a control to gauge patterns of unforeseen contingencies.