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  • Writer's pictureJessie Huang

Combating Perfectionism and Shame

I've been inactive for a while, for various reasons: shame, embarrassment, travel (went to Los Angeles & Iceland!), etc.


But most prominently--my temporary disappearance from publishing was due to an overwhelming sense of perfectionism (the shame is constantly pervasive so I won't count that at this point).


I didn't want to write unless the final piece could be perfect.

In the Fight, Flight, Freeze theory of threat response types, I'm definitely a flight or freeze. Exacerbated hundredfold by PTSD.


Thus, I froze.


I couldn't bring myself to write--to act upon my negative thoughts in a constructive manner. I've learned through therapy that this is key to addressing PTSD symptoms.


Destructive behaviors and emotions returned: anger (although this can be constructive), substance use as means of escaping, extreme isolation, and the like.


In the spirit of continued self-improvement and progress, I'm writing today to try and combat debilitating perfectionism.


And here I shall prematurely end this post, because it doesn't need to be perfect.

 

Follow Jessie on Twitter or email her at hitherejessie@gmail.com.

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