“Just Right” OCD vs. Perfectionism OCD vs. OCPD: Why the Difference Matters More Than You Think
If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t know if this is OCD, perfectionism, or just how I am,” you’re not alone.
Many people struggle with behaviors like redoing tasks, needing things to feel a certain way, or holding themselves (and others) to very high standards. On the surface, these patterns can look similar. But underneath, they’re driven by very different mechanisms and those differences matter, especially when it comes to treatment.
In this post, we’ll break down the differences between “Just Right” OCD, Perfectionism OCD, and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) and explain why understanding these distinctions can be a turning point in recovery.
Why These Get Confused So Often
All three involve:
Repetition
High standards
Distress when things aren’t “right”
Difficulty stopping certain behaviors
From the outside, someone might say:
“You’re just a perfectionist.”
But clinically, that label can miss the mark and lead to years of therapy that doesn’t actually help.
The why behind the behavior is far more important than the behavior itself.
“Just Right” OCD: When It Doesn’t Feel Right Yet
The Primary Driver: Sensory discomfort and incompleteness
“Just Right” OCD isn’t always driven by fear or thoughts you can clearly explain. Instead, it’s often about an internal sensation which is a feeling that something is off, uneven, incomplete, or wrong.
The core question sounds like:
“Why doesn’t this feel right yet?”
This discomfort can show up as:
Tension in the body
Irritation
A sense of internal pressure
A need to fix, adjust, or redo
What It Looks Like in Daily Life
Repeating actions until they feel “just right”
Adjusting symmetry or alignment
Rewriting or redoing tasks without a clear reason
Getting stuck in loops of correcting or fixing
People with “Just Right” OCD usually have high insight. They know the behavior doesn’t make logical sense but the discomfort feels unbearable unless they act on it.
This subtype is ego-dystonic, meaning it feels unwanted and distressing.
Best-Fit Treatment
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) focused on:
Tolerating sensory discomfort
Resisting the urge to “fix” or “complete”
Learning that the discomfort fades without action
Perfectionism OCD: When “Good Enough” Never Feels Safe
The Primary Driver: Fear of mistakes, failure, or criticism
Perfectionism OCD is often mistaken for a personality trait, but it’s actually driven by anxiety and catastrophic thinking.
The core question sounds like:
“What if this isn’t good enough?”
Here, the distress comes from fear:
Fear of being judged
Fear of making mistakes
Fear of consequences if something is wrong
What It Looks Like in Daily Life
Overchecking work
Rewriting or redoing tasks excessively
Procrastination due to fear of imperfection
Reassurance-seeking
Avoidance of starting or finishing tasks
Unlike “Just Right” OCD, this subtype is more thought-based. The mind is constantly evaluating, predicting, and criticizing.
Insight is usually high:
“I know this is excessive, but I can’t stop.”
This is also ego-dystonic, meaning it feels exhausting and distressing, not aligned with the person’s values.
Best-Fit Treatment
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) focused on:
Making mistakes on purpose
Tolerating imperfection and uncertainty
Resisting reassurance and overchecking
Challenging fear-based predictions through behavioral learning
OCPD: When the Rules Feel Like Truth
The Primary Driver: Rigid personality traits and values
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) is fundamentally different from OCD. It’s not primarily driven by anxiety, it’s driven by deeply held beliefs about how things should be done.
The core statement sounds like:
“This is the correct way to do things.”
People with OCPD often value:
Order
Productivity
Control
High standards
Rules and structure
What It Looks Like in Daily Life
Overworking
Difficulty delegating
Rigidity and inflexibility
Frustration when others don’t meet standards
Struggles in relationships due to control or criticism
Unlike OCD, OCPD behaviors are often ego-syntonic, meaning they feel aligned with the person’s identity and values.
Insight is often lower:
“I don’t see the problem. This is just how things should be.”
The distress often comes not from the behaviors themselves, but from conflict with others or the consequences of rigidity.
Best-Fit Treatment
CBT focused on cognitive flexibility
Interpersonal and relational therapy
ERP-informed strategies when OCD traits coexist
Insight, Ego-Dystonic vs. Ego-Syntonic: Why This Is So Important
One of the most important distinctions across these patterns is how the person feels about the behavior.
Ego-dystonic (Just Right OCD & Perfectionism OCD):
“I don’t want this, but I feel stuck.”Ego-syntonic (often OCPD):
“This makes sense to me. This is how things should be.”
This difference changes how motivated someone is for treatment and what kind of treatment will actually work. Learn more about the differences of Ego-dystonic and Ego-syntonic thoughts.
Can These Overlap?
Yes. Absolutely.
“Just Right” OCD often overlaps with Perfectionism OCD
OCD subtypes can coexist
OCPD traits can exist alongside OCD
This is why professional assessment matters. Two people can do the same behavior for completely different reasons and treating them the same way can backfire.
Why the Right Label Isn’t About Labels
Diagnosis isn’t about boxing you in.
It’s about choosing the right tools.
Many people spend years in therapy:
Gaining insight
Talking through patterns
Trying to reason with behaviors
And still feel stuck because insight alone doesn’t resolve OCD, and ERP alone isn’t enough for OCPD.
When treatment matches the driver, not just the behavior, progress finally starts to make sense.
Final Thoughts: If This Felt Familiar
If you saw yourself in more than one column of that chart, that doesn’t mean you’re complicated or broken. It means your brain is nuanced and your treatment should be too.
At The OCD Relief Clinic, we specialize in differentiating between OCD subtypes and OCPD so clients aren’t asked to do the wrong work for the wrong problem. Read more about our specialized OCD treatment.
If you’ve ever wondered:
“Why hasn’t therapy helped yet?”
“Why do some strategies work and others don’t?”
“Why does this feel so hard to explain?”
You’re asking the right questions.
Reach out today to schedule an intake and get clarity that leads to real progress, not just more effort.