Most women see models portrayed all over magazines, movies, and television shows as being thin and beautiful. Often, these women set unrealistic goals and expectations to mimic these models in fear of rejection from society. In extreme cases, when failure seems to be dominant, some women turn to suicide as an answer. In our society, perfectionism seems to be second nature to many people. It plays a role in all aspects of our lives, whether it is work, relationships, or school.
Many perfectionists measure their own worth in terms of accomplishments.
For these people, punishment is often an answer for failure. In our society evidence exists that all people have certain limits to being perfect. The Columbine school shootings are a perfect example of how perfectionism and pressure can lead to emotional breakdown. I feel strongly that many deaths and tragedies could be avoided if perfectionism was a recognized personality disorder. If this were true, many people might seek treatment and figure out better ways to cope with this problem.