Most people get happier as they reach their 50s, 60s and 70s. But people who are obsessive-compulsive and perfectionistic may miss out on the potential benefits. Their default strategy of control can block the those benefits, and leave us metaphorically pushing a rock up a hill, only to have it come crashing down again.
At the healthy end of the obsessive-compulsive spectrum we find meaningful urges that were lost when urgency to deal with anxiety and insecurity took over. Creating, producing, and fixing can fulfill our need for purpose if approached mindfully. But too often our urgency leads to an amnesia for meaning.
Imagine a couple going through fertility treatment. They’re expected to make love at certain times...
In my last post I argued that it’s important for us to know that we...
The sources of obsessive-compulsive personality are found in genes, family, culture and coping strategies. The...
Composer John Cage reputedly said, “I don’t like elevator music, but I’d be better off...
In my last post I harped about the importance of people with obsessive-compulsive personality consciously...
I recently posted about the benefits of self-compassion in lowering the depression that perfectionism causes....
Imagine two perfectionists. When Estella feels that she’s fallen short of her standards, she puts...
There’s an increasing amount of research which suggests that spending at least two hours each week engaging with nature improves our well-being. And because of the epidemic of Nature Deficit Disorder (yes, it’s a real thing), an increasing number of healthcare professionals are even prescribing time in nature. This research implies that it’s beneficial for everyone, but there’s good reason to believe that it can be particularly beneficial for people who are driven, Type A, and obsessive-compulsive, because they’re faced with certain mental and physical challenges that being in nature can help with. Spending time in nature can help to balance a personality that is weighted far too heavily on the side of control, planning, perfecting, achieving and fixing.
The Healthy Compulsive book is now available in paperback in addition to hardcover and e-book format:
Healthy Compulsive Book
© 2025 · Gary Trosclair, The Healthy Compulsive Project