Anyone a perfectionist? : Does anyone else... - My OCD Community

My OCD Community

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Anyone a perfectionist?

3 years ago•2 Replies

Does anyone else deal with OCD, in which they have obsessive thoughts regarding having objects in my environment be perfect. For example, I will return a product multiple times because it is not perfect, such as having a mark, scratch, etc. It is very mentally exhausting and when something is not perfect it bugs me and I want to fix it. I feel like this is a very odd thing to have. Does anyone relate?

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lindsaya4

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EllieAnne13 years ago

Hey there..yes, I am/was a stay at home mom..now solo...I obsess over everything around me...I am constantly trying to change things up and have gotten into crafting. I found that I can find myself stuck on a tiny detail that could keep me up for days until I figure it out just right. Sigh. I am exhausted and its depressing because nobody understands why...

Sallyskins3 years ago

Being a perfectionist goes with OCD! I had problems when I worked in an office - each piece of work had to be perfect and I did it over and over, correcting tiny mistakes that weren't mistakes anyway!

But I've learned to live with my own imperfection. No piece of work is perfect - that goes for works by Shakespeare or Bach as well!

As for imperfections in things that you own or buy - treat them as part of the item. My family always had a crooked Christmas tree, because my mother felt sorry for it, took pity on it and wanted to take what other people rejected.

I buy a lot of books, most of them second hand. They often have a bit of wear on them and I don't mind that. I have a really beautiful children's book dated 1880 - a corner of the spine is damaged, apparently chewed either by a small child or a dog. It's part of the book's history, and it has been read and loved.

I know how exhausting OCD can be, but CBT can help with it. Try starting with small and inexpensive items - don't take them back to the shop. Make sure you use them as they are. If it's really too difficult and you can't live with them, give them to a charity shop or a friend. But give them a chance first - and give yourself a chance to like them as they are.