Hi....I had you pegged as a perfectionist by the time I got to the second paragraph in your post! It takes one to know one!

Perfectionism can be a blessing and it can also be a curse. I always joke that one day there'll be a cure for it.

Speaking for myself and see if this rings true for you...I believe that those of us that are perfectionists are in a world of our own. We don't share feelings and it is hard for us to be close to people. I am always somewhat emotionally detached from everyone I know although you would see me as perfectly normal.

One of my favorite sayings that I personally coined is that "I keep my opinions to myself and secretly bask in the satisfaction of knowing that I'm right." And, this sort of keeps us in our own little world, often not being able to be ourselves as you described. I also find that I and other perfectionists that I know are devoid of emotion.

Perfectionists are also prone to anxiety.

In my opinion, your perfectionism is a stumbling block to living your life and this has caused your anxiety. This is what has happened in my life.

Also, I learned a new word the other day. Do a Google search on "rumination psychology." When I read about it I thought that my picture should be someplace nearby. It sounds like you may have a touch of this too.

You sound like a really fantastic person. I think that with therapy you can overcome your issues and feel better about things. Just don't hold anything back. Stay active, eat healthy and try not to let this get the best of you. Embrace the perfectionism because it's part of what makes you "you."

And let me guess...you re-read your post about 3,000 times before you submitted it, right? Been there and still am. ; )

Good Luck and let us know how things go for you.