Is Perfectionism a Trauma Response?

Perfectionism is more than high standards. It’s a deep-rooted belief that your worth depends on performance, that anything less than flawless is failure.

In childhood, this mechanism might have helped you survive.If love, safety, or approval were conditional, based on your achievements, your behavior, or how “good” you were, you learned that being perfect kept you safe.

This coping strategy followed you.Into your studies.

Into your relationships.

And now, into your work.

In corporate life, perfectionism thrives.

It’s often rewarded and even celebrated.

You become the “go-to” person, the one who never misses a deadline, always delivers, double-checks everything.

But behind the scenes, it looks like:

• Constant overworking to avoid criticism

• Fear of delegating because no one else will do it “right”

• Procrastination masked as “high standards”

• Guilt when resting

• Anxiety that one mistake will cost everything

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You begin to equate self-worth with productivity.

You stay late. You say yes. You burn out.

But here’s the truth:

What once kept you safe, now might be keeping you stuck.

This mechanism helped you survive when you were little, but now, it doesn’t let you live.

It limits risk-taking, creativity and spontaneity.

It disconnects you from your needs, your body, your joy.

You don’t have to earn your worth.

Not through your inbox, your perfection, or your output.

#Perfectionism #WorkplaceWellness #BurnoutRecovery #TraumaResponse #MentalHealthAtWork #CorporateAnxiety #HighFunctioningAnxiety #Psychologist #SelfCompassion #InnerChildHealing