Eating Disorders, Perfectionism, Procrastination Counsellors

Eating Disorders, Perfectionism, Procrastination

Eating disorders comprise a range of attitudes and behaviors relating to food and body-image. The three main eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, and ED NOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified). These conditions manifest to different degrees in different people and can sometimes be mistakenly judged as poor eating habits, or a lack of willpower.

People with eating disorders don't eat in harmony with their bodies' needs, instead, people with Anorexia Nervosa eat much less than they need, while Bulimia sufferers binge and then induce vomiting. They may also do other things to compensate for overeating, including exercising or fasting. ED NOS combines any combination of the other two conditions.

Apart from the physical symptoms and behaviors above, someone with an eating disorder will generally also have poor self-esteem and obsessively research or talk about food, dieting or exercise. Poor body image will cause them to either wear clothes that cover up every inch of their bodies, or flaunt  in order to attract attention. They will find it hard to accept criticism and compliments.

Therapy for eating disorders depend on the patient. While some people respond well to short term outpatient treatment, others respond better to long-term inpatient treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy and family therapy are long term treatments that have been proven to be effective, while group therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapies and feminist therapies work for people who will respond well to short term therapy.

Family therapy is often advised for children and adolescents who are experiencing eating disorders. Research has also shown dialectical behavioral therapy to be effective.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who addresses eating disorders, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Perfectionism is considered as a personality trait among many mental health practitioners.  Perfectionists tend to view projects or tasks that are not perfect done, as unworthy. Unless they know that they can do something perfectly, they are unlikely to take it on. They tend not to care much about the learning process while completing a task, but rather about the end project, which, for them, is the most important aspect of any project they undertake.

Procrastination is a great obstacle with people who are perfectionists. They usually don't want to start a task until they are sure that they can do it perfectly. It's common for them to spend an enormous amount of time on a project, making sure that it is done to perfection. Yet, perfectionism prevents these people from appreciating a job well done. Instead, they don't believe that anything they do is good enough and they constantly compare their results with that of other people. They become fixated on achieving perfection.

There is a correlation between perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and some perfectionists also have OCD.  However, not all people with OCD are perfectionists. While most people with an ambition to succeed and therefore strive to excel in their pursuits, they are not necessarily perfectionists.

Therapy can be very helpful in treating perfectionism. Therapy will help the individual to reframe their thinking to change the end goal of his or her undertakings. A therapist may often help perfectionists recognize that some of the most successful people are not perfectionists at all.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers therapies to address your perfectionism or OCD issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Procrastination is not the same as laziness, instead, it is a severe condition that millions of people experience on an ongoing basis.

Most procrastinators wish that they were more productive in order to achieve their goals and dreams. Unfortunately the force of procrastination destroys their ambitions and aspirations, and telling them to "get a grip" doesn't help at all. Procrastination is similar to obsessive compulsive disorder in that the person doesn't choose the behavior and can't change it by simply making the decision to be more productive.

A person with procrastination issues tends to disappoint other people by not meeting their deadlines or promises. They find it hard to start on new projects, or switching from one to the next. They chronically underestimate or overestimate the duration of tasks and struggle to get going. Even when they want to start on a task, they may have difficulty establishing a starting point. Disorganization and clutter fill their work spaces and homes. Procrastination is a passive resistance that expresses the resentment of the fact that procrastinators are often unable to say no. They will do anything, except what they should be doing and tend to focus on short term happiness over long term success.

Psychotherapy can help a person to overcome procrastination issues. A therapist will assess the causes of your procrastination and find ways to solve these issues. Sometimes, strategies for self-acceptance and increasing energy levels are all that's needed.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers counselling approaches to address your procrastination issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

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Karen Ergas

Ph.D., R.Psych
I am a registered psychologist with over 25 years experience working with individuals who struggle with all types of disordered eating and related conditions. My background includes individual and group therapy,... Read more

Robert Grigore

MCP, RCC
    • Online booking
Professionals hire me to provide life-changing mental health results as fast as possible. By offering the option for extended EMDR sessions (2-5 hours) in addition to the standard 1 hour, busy professionals can... Read more