Do you ever find yourself doubting your successes and accomplishments? Or feeling like you are a fraud? If yes, then you may have some experience with imposter syndrome.
By definition imposter syndrome is, “The situation in which highly accomplished, successful individuals paradoxically believe they are frauds who ultimately will fail and be unmasked as incompetent.”
Imposter syndrome sometimes referred to as perceived fraudulence or imposter phenomenon, varies from self-doubt. The major difference between the two is- self-doubt is a temporary feeling, whereas, in imposter syndrome, one may experience such feelings in a persistent, ongoing manner.
The term was first coined in the 1970s by psychologists Suzanna Imes and Pauline Rose Clance. Initially, the syndrome was thought to only affect high-achieving women. According to a recent review, the prevalence of imposter syndrome is between 9% to 82% (Bravata et. al, 2019). Moreover, it is estimated that 70% of people will experience at least one episode of this phenomenon in their lives (Clance et. al, 1993) It is, however, not a diagnosable mental health condition.
Why does imposter syndrome occur? It may develop due to a number of reasons. One’s family and upbringing may contribute to its development. Research has shown that the presence of high levels of conflict may lead to the development of imposter syndrome (Clance et. al, 1993). Moreover, the presence of certain personality traits such as perfectionism or neuroticism can also be one of the causes behind imposter syndrome. (Bravata et. al, 2019)
Imposter syndrome may manifest in any of the five forms, as given by Dr. Valerie Young, author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It.
The expert:
Experts may spend an elaborate amount of time trying to learn all about a task in detail, making it difficult to complete a task. They tend to devalue their own knowledge and expertise.
Natural geniuses:
Natural geniuses have a belief that competent, talented people take little time to learn anything. This in turn leads to the setting of easy goals. If something is a bit more difficult than it “should” be, it leads to disappointment.
The superhero:
Superheroes put in the excess effort, pushing themselves as hard as possible.
The soloist:
As the name suggests, the soloist prefers to work alone. This is mostly due to beliefs that asking for help or assistance will reveal their incompetence.
The perfectionist:
Perfectionists tend to demand perfection in everything while fixating on one’s shortcomings. This leads to feelings of doubt and worry.
Imposter syndrome may show up in a variety of ways. Some of the common signs of imposter syndrome are:
- Attributing one’s success to external factors such as luck
- Self-sabotage
- Feeling like a fraud
- Self-doubt
- Assessing one’s success in an unrealistic manner
- Overachieving
- Downplaying one’s performance or success
- Fear of being seen as a failure
So how do we combat the imposter syndrome? There are a number of ways in which one can tackle imposter syndrome. Firstly, it might be helpful to focus on what you do well and to accept that no one is perfect. While struggling with such feelings it might also help to remember that several people feel this way and that you are not alone. Discussing your feelings and emotions with someone you trust may also be helpful. Lastly, it might help to remember that everyone struggles with difficult feelings from time to time. You are not alone. Help is always available. If imposter feelings are severely impacting your day-to-day life you may choose to seek help from a mental health professional. Lastly, being compassionate and kind towards yourself can go a long way as you overcome these feelings.
– Urveez Kakalia and Niharika Bhatia.