Where Does Perfectionism Come From?
Society places immense cultural pressure on both men and women to achieve the “perfect body” as proof of personal success. Experts believe this pressure may trigger the competitiveness and compulsiveness of individuals predisposed to eating disorders, leading to disordered behaviors such as excessive orderliness, ritualistic behavior and rigidity. “I believe that eating disorders and perfectionism develop largely out of a sociocultural context where people are subjected to notions of perfectionism via media exposure to the ‘perfect body type,'” explains Dr. Lob. “Most magazines espouse (covert or overtly) that the road to happiness is having the perfect body shape. “This notion can be overwhelming for the ‘people-pleasing’ young person striving to meet the expectations of family members, peers and whatever sociocultural context in which they believe self-acceptance exists. Self-destructive behaviors such as self-blame and criticism lead to feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthl
