What is Perfectionism? Do You Know the Signs?

What is perfectionism? What are the signs? Perfectionism can manifest in a variety of ways. With this, it's not easily diagnosed into one area. Perfectionism is not a diagnosis in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). However, it shows in symptoms outlined in diagnoses like Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

At Reframe Therapy, we've noticed it manifest in the following ways:

Description: Signs of Perfectionism

Not all individuals who experience perfectionism will struggle in all these areas; similarly, having one or some of these symptoms does not mean you struggle with perfectionism. 

At its core, perfectionism is a lens of how you see yourself and others. Antony, Egan, Shafran, and Wade (2014) stated perfectionists are,

“People who set extremely high standards for performance, are very concerned over making mistakes, and base self-evaluation on how well these standards are met.”

And Dyer (2024) added perfectionism is,

“How we feel about ourselves when we don’t meet our standards or when we make mistakes.” ​

Are you located in Utah? We offer in person and telehealth appointments. Our therapists at Reframe would love to meet!

Sources:

Antony, M. M., Egan, S. J., Shafran, R., & Wade, T. D. (2014). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of perfectionism. The Guilford Press.

Dyer, J. (2024, December). Are Latter-day Saints perfectionists? BYU Studies Quarterly. https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/are-latter-day-saints-perfectionists