Control freak is a colloquialism that is usually employed to describe a person obsessed with performing tasks in a way that they perceive as correct. A control freak can become distressed when someone causes a deviation in the way that they prefer to perform tasks. Someone who tries to control how other people perform tasks, while having no good reason for interfering, can also be considered a control freak. This expression was introduced around the 1960s.

Characteristics

Control freaks tend to have a psychological need to be in charge of things and people - even circumstances that cannot be controlled. The need for control, in extreme cases, stems from deeper psychological issues such as obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), anxiety disorders or personality disorders. Control freaks are often insecure and perfectionists. Additionally, they may even manipulate or pressure others to change to avoid having to change themselves. They may have had an overbearing mother or father. Furthermore, control freaks sometimes have similarities to codependents, in the sense that the latter's fear of abandonment leads to attempts to control those they are dependent on.

Examples