Perfectionist Patterns
Signs of OCD-Related Perfectionism in Reading and Writing—and What Can Help
For some students, homework isn’t just hard—it’s exhausting. When perfectionism takes over, even simple assignments can spiral into hours of rechecking, rewriting, and second-guessing. These perfectionistic patterns are common in OCD and anxiety, and they often show up around reading and writing.
Here are 10 signs to look out for—and a suggestion for how to help in each case.
10 Signs and Suggestions on how to help.
1. They check and recheck their work repeatedly for typos, misspellings, and errors.
Suggestion:
Try setting a time limit or a fixed number of reviews (like two) to help break the cycle of endless checking.
2. They reread passages multiple times to make sure they’ve understood them properly.
Suggestion:
Practice reading once and summarizing out loud to build confidence in their understanding.
3. They worry that others won’t understand what they mean when they write or speak.
Suggestion:
Remind them that perfect clarity isn’t always possible—and most readers are more forgiving than they think.
4. Their writing never feels like it “sounds right,” no matter how many times they revise.
Suggestion:
Try submitting a “good enough” draft, then noting what they learned for next time instead of aiming for flawless.
5. They spend more time searching for the “perfect word” than actually writing.
Suggestion:
Use a placeholder word and come back to it later—momentum matters more than precision in early drafts.
6. They feel like they can’t start a project unless they have time to finish it in one sitting.
Suggestion:
Break work into small, doable chunks and build tolerance for stopping before it feels complete.
7. They avoid replying to emails because they can’t write the “perfect” response—and sometimes never reply at all.
Suggestion:
Give them permission to write a short, imperfect response and hit send within a set time.
8. They over-prepare for projects and spend more time organizing than actually doing the work.
Suggestion:
Set a deadline for planning, then switch to action—even if they feel “not quite ready.”
9. They miss deadlines because they underestimate how long assignments will take.
Suggestion:
Track how long tasks actually take and plan extra time to account for overthinking.
10. They ask the same questions repeatedly to be 100% sure they’ve understood the instructions.
Suggestion:
Practice writing the directions down, then checking them just once before moving forward.
When to Seek Help
If your child shows several of these signs and it’s affecting their daily functioning, perfectionism may be part of an anxiety disorder or OCD.
The good news is that effective treatments like exposure response prevention can help teens break free from these rigid patterns and regain confidence in their work—and in themselves.