Too Perfect: A Guide to Self-Screening for OCPD and Finding Help

A Guide to Self-Screening for OCPD and Finding Help

It’s common to take pride in being organized, detail-oriented, or hardworking. But when perfectionism becomes paralyzing, or control becomes more important than connection, it might be time to ask: Is this something more than a personality trait?

 People with OCPD may not realize their rigid, perfectionistic standards are causing them—and others—distress.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is often misunderstood or misdiagnosed. It’s not the same as OCD, and it doesn’t mean someone is “just really neat.” In fact, people with OCPD may not realize their high standards are causing them—and others—distress.

This blog will help you explore whether your patterns align with OCPD by reviewing screening tools, discussing why these tools are not diagnostic, and offering therapeutic pathways and self-help exercises to begin loosening the grip of perfectionism.

🧠 What Is OCPD?

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is a long-standing pattern of:

• Perfectionism that interferes with task completion

• Rigidity in moral or ethical values

• Overcontrol of one’s environment, relationships, or time

• Preoccupation with rules, lists, order, and productivity

• Difficulty delegating or trusting others to do things “the right way”

People with OCPD often struggle with emotional flexibility, spontaneity, and self-compassion—yet they may not see these as issues because their behaviors feel “right” or “responsible.”

🧪 Screening Tools for OCPD

Online screening tools can help you identify traits of OCPD—but they are not diagnostic. These tools are best used as a starting point for a conversation with a therapist or psychiatrist.

✅ Common Self-Screening Tools:

1. Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) – OCPD Facet

   • Screens for traits like perfectionism, rigidity, and overcontrol.

   • Often used by professionals, but some public versions exist.

2. Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-IV)

   • Not self-administered but frequently used in clinical settings to assess personality pathology.

3. OCPD Self-Test from PsychCentral or IDR Labs

   • Accessible online quizzes that give you an idea of whether your behaviors align with OCPD traits.

   • Include items like:

     • “I have difficulty relaxing unless everything is in order.”

     • “I feel anxious if rules aren’t followed.”

     • “I get frustrated when others don’t do things my way.”

📝 Remember: These are screening tools—not diagnoses. Only a licensed mental health professional can determine whether your experiences meet full criteria for OCPD.

🧑‍⚕️ What to Do with Your Results

If your screening results indicate moderate to high OCPD traits:

• Bring them to your next therapy session or initial consult.

• Be honest about how these traits affect your relationships, career, and inner peace.

• A professional can help distinguish between a personality style and a personality disorder—and guide you to effective treatment.

🧰 Therapy for OCPD: What Works?

OCPD is treatable—but it requires time, commitment, and willingness to challenge deeply held beliefs.

Evidence-Based Therapies Include:

✅ Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Targets perfectionistic thinking and black-and-white beliefs.

• Encourages behavioral experiments to loosen rigid control.

✅ Schema Therapy

• Identifies and heals core schemas like “I must be perfect to be worthy” or “The world is unsafe unless I’m in control.”

✅ Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

• Teaches emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and flexibility in relationships.

✅ Psychodynamic or Relational Therapy

• Explores how childhood environments shaped current control-based strategies for safety or self-worth.

✍️ Sample Exercises to Try Today

Here are a few therapist-recommended activities to begin softening OCPD tendencies:

🧩 1. The “Good Enough” Challenge

Task: Intentionally leave something unfinished or imperfect for one day.Example: Leave the bed unmade, don’t proofread an email three times.

Reflection: Journal how it felt. What did you fear would happen? What actually happened?

🗣 2. Values Over Rules Exercise

List a few rigid rules you follow daily (e.g., “I must work 10 hours to be worthy”).Now ask: “What value is underneath this rule?” (e.g., commitment, responsibility).

Goal: Can you express the value without the rigidity?

💬 3. Flexible Thinking Practice

When you catch yourself thinking in absolutes (“It must be done this way”), try replacing it with:

• “This is one way to do it.”

• “Maybe there’s another option that works just as well.”

• “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be valuable.”

❤️ 4. Permission Slips

Write yourself “permission slips” like:

• “I give myself permission to rest today.”

• “I give myself permission to be human, not perfect.”

🌱 Final Thoughts

If you resonate with the traits of OCPD, you’re not alone—and you’re not broken. You may have built a life around control and perfection because it felt safer. But with insight, support, and practice, you can move toward a life filled with more ease, spontaneity, and connection.

Screening is just the beginning. Healing begins when you choose to let go, little by little.