<p>I want to say that this kind of issue is environmental. Behaviours of perfectionism are developed because of certain factors that may stem from early childhood (as in how the parents treat the child). If self esteem is measured based on the standards that the authority sets, but the child cannot reach them, they may come to know themselves as inadequate. Freud talks about this in his theory of psychoanalysis and in the psychodynamic theory. </p>

<p>I don't think it's specifically one case of trauma, but a series of evaluations that causes the development of low self esteem. </p>

<p>Before the child has a complete theory of mind he may not seperate himself from his environment and in turn mirror or internalize the negative image of how his parents treat him. 
Some evidence suggests that perception becomes more global with age (which may reflect the development of a pragmatic perceptive system that allows faster identification of objects in the environment. ) <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1995-36327-001" rel="nofollow">(Akshoomoff et al., 1995)</a>. </p>

<p>Its possible that this global perceptive system may become tied to negative emotional trauma. Which makes negative behaviours more easily developable. 
Predictions of outcomes of events have also been tied to perception, as perception as been shown to be constructive (in the sense that it builds on itself from past experiences, even emotional ones)  <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/asset?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0038118.PDF" rel="nofollow">(Sinke,  et al., 2012)</a> </p>

<p>Individuals who experience abuse may unconsciously recall the outcomes of that abuse during similar situations, causing distress.</p>

<p>Also, some Self theorists may also see the traumatic experiences as negatively affecting the sense of self. Approval addiction may be seen as an act taken to strengthen self identity, as the authority figure did not properly bolster the self esteem during development, so the individual may try to compensate for that by seeking approval. </p>

<p><strong>Reference</strong></p>

<p><a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1995-36327-001" rel="nofollow">Developmental trends in visuospatial analysis and planning: I. Copying a complex figure. Akshoomoff, Natacha A.; Stiles, Joan
Neuropsychology, Vol 9(3), Jul 1995, 364-377</a></p>

<p><a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/asset?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0038118.PDF" rel="nofollow">Sinke, Charlotte B. A. et al. “The Constructive Nature of Affective Vision: Seeing Fearful Scenes Activates Extrastriate Body Area.” PLoS ONE 7.6 (2012): e38118. Web.</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-08T20:50:31.803Z
PS - if you click *edit* on my edited post on the other answer I reviewed you can see how to insert links. Also, the icons let you do it via a GUI (select, click the chain symbol, insert weblink).
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-09T06:51:59.273Z
@Dog So may I take it like this: Approval addiction and perfectionism are generated by the environment which we live in, and these two traits exist in every individual out there. But those who passed through a trauma, the trauma has strengthened these cognitive distortions, and as a result, those people have become depressed, and emotionally a victim of these two traits.
Arslan Ali
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-09T09:14:22.190Z
@Arslan Essentially yes, I'd change environment to social environment though, or environmental factors.
Dog
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-09T09:16:32.180Z
@Dog Yes, social environment.
Arslan Ali
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-08T20:24:30.183Z
2016-06-08T22:36:20.067Z
2016-06-08T22:36:20.067Z
Dog
<p>Depression and anxiety most of the time stem from a past trauma, but it is actually not the events, but the thoughts that create the symptoms of depression and anxiety.</p>

<p>Out of those thoughts, perfectionism and approval addiction are prominent, and I, myself, am an example of it. So how does a traumatic event tend to generate the cognition of perfectionism and approval addiction, or does it even tend to generate it or is it, itself a result of it(depression and anxiety)? </p>

<cognitive-psychology><depression><anxiety><cognitive-dissonance>
Perfectionism, and approval addiction: how are these two generated from a trauma?
Arslan Ali
# Perfectionism, and approval addiction: how are these two generated from a trauma?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-05-16)

Depression and anxiety most of the time stem from a past trauma, but it is actually not the events, but the thoughts that create the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Out of those thoughts, perfectionism and approval addiction are prominent, and I, myself, am an example of it. So how does a traumatic event tend to generate the cognition of perfectionism and approval addiction, or does it even tend to generate it or is it, itself a result of it(depression and anxiety)?

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, depression, anxiety, cognitive-dissonance


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-06-08. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

I want to say that this kind of issue is environmental. Behaviours of perfectionism are developed because of certain factors that may stem from early childhood (as in how the parents treat the child). If self esteem is measured based on the standards that the authority sets, but the child cannot reach them, they may come to know themselves as inadequate. Freud talks about this in his theory of psychoanalysis and in the psychodynamic theory.

I don't think it's specifically one case of trauma, but a series of evaluations that causes the development of low self esteem.

Before the child has a complete theory of mind he may not seperate himself from his environment and in turn mirror or internalize the negative image of how his parents treat him.
Some evidence suggests that perception becomes more global with age (which may reflect the development of a pragmatic perceptive system that allows faster identification of objects in the environment. ) [(Akshoomoff et al., 1995)](http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1995-36327-001).

Its possible that this global perceptive system may become tied to negative emotional trauma. Which makes negative behaviours more easily developable.
Predictions of outcomes of events have also been tied to perception, as perception as been shown to be constructive (in the sense that it builds on itself from past experiences, even emotional ones) [(Sinke, et al., 2012)](http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/asset?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0038118.PDF)

Individuals who experience abuse may unconsciously recall the outcomes of that abuse during similar situations, causing distress.

Also, some Self theorists may also see the traumatic experiences as negatively affecting the sense of self. Approval addiction may be seen as an act taken to strengthen self identity, as the authority figure did not properly bolster the self esteem during development, so the individual may try to compensate for that by seeking approval.

**Reference**

[Developmental trends in visuospatial analysis and planning: I. Copying a complex figure. Akshoomoff, Natacha A.; Stiles, Joan
Neuropsychology, Vol 9(3), Jul 1995, 364-377](http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1995-36327-001)

[Sinke, Charlotte B. A. et al. “The Constructive Nature of Affective Vision: Seeing Fearful Scenes Activates Extrastriate Body Area.” PLoS ONE 7.6 (2012): e38118. Web.](http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/asset?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0038118.PDF)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: PS - if you click *edit* on my edited post on the other answer I reviewed you can see how to insert links. Also, the icons let you do it via a GUI (select, click the chain symbol, insert weblink).  
> **username_0**: @username_1 So may I take it like this: Approval addiction and perfectionism are generated by the environment which we live in, and these two traits exist in every individual out there. But those who passed through a trauma, the trauma has strengthened these cognitive distortions, and as a result, those people have become depressed, and emotionally a victim of these two traits.  
> **username_1**: @Arslan Essentially yes, I'd change environment to social environment though, or environmental factors.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Yes, social environment.  

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