Fibromyalgia

Is Perfectionism Behind Fibromyalgia?

Written By: Mandy Burkholder
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Young woman sitting on the bed with pain in neck

Image: Dean Drobot/Shutterstock

We all know that everyone’s personalities are extremely different. Some people are lazy, some like to go for long walks, and some enjoy reading a good book. But did you ever think that your general disposition and personality might be a causing factor for fibromyalgia?

One study looked into the ties between the personality trait of perfectionism and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia. The results were illuminating.

The study examined perfectionism dimensions and maladaptive (negative) coping mechanisms in CFS and fibromyalgia patients compared to a group of healthy adults. The participants completed a survey that asked them questions about their medical history and personality types.

The questions were extremely detailed and deep, which gave researchers a lot of information to use to compile evidence to make their final claims.

What they found was that for participants in the study whose survey results showed strong indications of perfectionism and negative coping mechanisms, there was a high correlation with suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia.

Mainstream research doesn’t typically mix social sciences with medical science, which is why this survey was so important to the researchers. Because fibromyalgia is so hard to predict, understand, and diagnose, these scientists are simply trying to find a new way to look at the disease. This type of research will hopefully be more beneficial to regular doctors who have a very hard time diagnosing the disease.

Fibromyalgia sufferers work very hard to understand their own disease, while keeping high spirits and coping with daily activities. And finally there are scientists out there who want to discover the real reason behind all the pain.

Do you have a perfectionism personality? And do you also suffer from either chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, or fibromyalgia? Let us know in the comments if you would also fit into the survey results found by researchers.

Comments 2

Charlotte Jackson says:
September 22, 2018 at 5:57 pm
I am a perfectionist to the extreme. I have ocd which I’ve had since I was thirteen, coincidentily when my mum became ill and was diagnosed with breast cancer. My ocd got worse over the years, and I needed to have routine and rituals to get through each day. My mum passed away after getting a second cancer, unrelated to the first when I was seventeen. After which my ocd subsided for a while. Having things orderly and perfect wasn’t a priority for a year, until I gave birth to my son, then in all returned. Because I cope with anxiety by having ocd, my perfectionism was my norm again. It has got worse over the years, and now at thirty three, it’s worse still. I was diagnosed with IBS when I about twenty two, and costacondritis later on. After years of pain and fatigue, along with depression and anxiety, and testing, my doctor diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia five years ago. I think the study has some compelling results, and should be looked into further. I’m interested to see how, if possible, they can find a treatment rather than just the management of this condition
Carolishca Forster says:
September 22, 2018 at 2:25 pm
I have had Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome for many many years. I have gone from lamenting about it, being depressed about it, crying about it, angry about it to finally accepting that I have these illnesses. However, acceptance came at a price. I had to retire very early and go on disability in order to cope with daily living. Yes, I am a perfectionist. I have always been a perfectionist. But so are so many other people I know and they don’t have these illnesses. Having said that, I believe that these illnesses come from somewhere in the brain and being a perfectionist exacerbates these conditions. I am an intelligent person who was a trailblazer in my career. I am a junior senior citizen who has come to accept many things in my life and thank goodness not with bitterness. I am an upbeat, can do, positive and happy person. I feel lucky that I got these syndromes/conditions/illnesses at a young age (pretty much all my life) because at least I have had all this time to go through all the emotions that lead to acceptance. AND YES, I AM A PERFECTIONIST. I accept that as well but work at not always being one.