What Is Imposter Syndrome? Causes, Symptoms, and How to Overcome It
What Does Imposter Syndrome Mean?
Imposter Syndrome Definition
It's a great joy for many people to achieve success and proudly celebrate their career milestones. Surprisingly, others feel overwhelmed by their success, as if they are hiding a dark secret and battling with the belief that they are a fraud. They struggle with a fictitious fear that other people will see right through them and realize that they faked their achievements or their skills. This psychological phenomenon is called impostor syndrome.
The most common setting for impostor syndrome is the workplace, but it can also be found in romantic relationships. People who experience impostor syndrome struggle with low self-esteem or experience a feeling that they don't deserve their position at work or a great romantic relationship.
No one is immune from imposter syndrome, either, as it can affect anyone, regardless of their success in any profession or field of work, from famous people like Tom Hanks to high-achievers and students. In all cases, the imposter will blame all of their success on external factors like luck and timing—because they believe that they possess limited skills themselves.
While surely people felt like fakes all throughout history, it wasn’t until 1978 that researchers coined the term itself. It was then that psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes found that women, in particular, who were in both professional and academic settings, believed that they were not nearly as successful as others found them—a discovery that proves unsurprising in our society.
Examples of Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome examples come in all shapes and sizes. It can be found in students who get good grades but don’t feel as though they’re deserving of them, from highly successful businesspeople who feel as though they got lucky despite being extremely talented. There are also plenty of famous people, like Tom Hanks and Tina Fey, who also experience imposter syndrome.
What Does Imposter Syndrome Feel Like?
As you can imagine, imposter syndrome can weigh down on you—often, you’ll find yourself:
● Constantly fearing that you’ll be uncovered as a fraud
● Unable to accept compliments or accolades for your achievements
● Overworking in an attempt to “match” what your peers see in you
● Comparing yourself to others and assuming they are the ones who are more capable
● Steering clear of opportunities because you don’t feel like you’d ever be picked for them
What Are the 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome?
Different Manifestations of Imposter Syndrome
Five primary types of imposter syndrome exist, and each one impacts how the individual experiences self-doubt differently:
The perfectionist: Those exhibiting this type of imposter syndrome constantly feel pressured to be perfect, believing that even minor mistakes indicate incompetence.
The superhero: These individuals feel that to prove their worth, they must push themselves harder than their peers and coworkers—a recipe that often leads to burnout.
The expert: These individuals believe that the best way to avoid being exposed as a fraud is to know everything before taking on a task.
The natural genius: In this type, the imposter believes that success should come easily, so when they experience any form of difficulty, they immediately assume that they are not truly talented.
The soloist: These individuals believe that the best way to hide that they are a fraud from other people is to work alone and not to ask for help.
These types of imposter syndrome each manifest differently, but at their core is the recurring fear of being exposed as a fraud.
Common Patterns and Behaviors
● With the fear of being caught as a fraud forever looming over their shoulders, those with imposter syndrome will typically be driven to overwork, even if it costs them a lot of personal well-being in the process.
● They will avoid any potential challenges or new opportunities to avoid failing and being discovered as a fraud.
● For all of their successes and accomplishments, those with imposter syndrome will blame that success on external factors like luck or timing.
● They typically have unrealistic expectations, whether self-imposed or societal—and feel immensely pressured to meet them.
Overcoming imposter syndrome will first involve recognizing these behaviors. And while shedding these feelings is something you can definitely do on your own, therapy will be an enormous asset. That’s where Serenity Space Therapy comes in. We’ll work together to guide you through breaking this weighty feeling to develop a healthier self-image and shed that self-doubt.
What Causes Imposter Syndrome?
Root Causes and Triggers
So, what causes imposter syndrome? The true answer to that ranges from person to person, although there are some common sources that can lead to fostering these feelings.
For starters, those with a perfectionist upbringing with parents who had inordinately high expectations of them may grow up fearing failure—something they could easily bring into their adult life, no matter what profession they choose.
Beyond that, peer pressure can be hugely influential in fostering feelings of imposter syndrome. Just take a moment and consider all of the success stories filling our daily feeds, like the ones on Instagram or other social media. Never mind that most of them are fake; they can still make you feel inadequate. So much so that when success finally finds you, you refuse to believe it.
One last root cause: previous failures or setbacks. If you’ve faced a string of losses or roadblocks, you may begin to feel a lot of self-doubt that can lead to imposter syndrome, because when the successes begin occurring again, you won’t immediately believe that they were legitimate.
Imposter Syndrome at Work
While it can occur in just about any setting, imposter syndrome at work is where it will be most common. In every office or studio, you’ll find employees who, despite massive amounts of success, still feel as though they’re fakes.
At work, those with imposter syndrome won’t speak up during meetings, worried that everyone will see what a fake they are as they stammer with their unintelligent words. Whenever any leadership or promotion opportunities present themselves, they’ll have too much self-doubt in their own acumen to ever apply.
They’ll also often believe that coworkers have more skill and knowledge, even if performance reviews state otherwise. This deeply seated sense of inferiority leads them to engage in massive amounts of overtime, leading to burnout and stress.
Overcoming imposter syndrome at work takes massive amounts of effort. But it can start with recognizing—objectively and without judgment—your accomplishments and your skills. Don’t be tempted to fall into habitual desires to overwork and instead set realistic expectations for yourself, one that supports a healthy work-life balance. Ultimately, if you’re struggling to guide yourself through these feelings, the counselors at Serenity Space Therapy can help.
Imposter Syndrome in Relationships
Although it’s most often found in the workplace, imposter syndrome in relationships can occur, too. When it happens in these scenarios, you won’t feel deserving of love, affection, or even friendship. Common signs include:
● Believing that your partner will leave once they “discover the truth.”
● Feeling undeserving of love, which typically leads to overcompensation.
● Having a difficult time being emotionally vulnerable out of fear of rejection.
● Assuming that friends or loved ones only stick around out of obligation.
Imposter Syndrome Symptoms and Support
Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms
Depending on the severity, the signs of imposter syndrome can vary, but some common ones include:
● Fear of being discovered as a fraud, even if there’s plenty of evidence to the contrary.
● The irresistible desire to be perfect, accepting nothing short of excellence.
● Downplaying achievements and blaming all forms of success on outside factors.
● Professional or personal performance causes undue amounts of anxiety and stress.
● A habit of overworking to prove worth and avoid criticism.
How to Help Someone with Imposter Syndrome
Here are just a few ways you can help someone with imposter syndrome:
● Lend an ear: While you might not be able to help with these feelings overnight, the best thing you can do at the onset is simply listen—without being dismissive or showing any judgment. From there, you can validate them; try suggesting that they are truly successful and that all their achievements and talents are legitimate.
● Encourage self-reflection: Objective self-reflection can be a huge boon when overcoming imposter syndrome. Have them try to recognize everything they have done and accomplished, and be sure that they look at these things objectively—without trying to bring subjective feelings into it.
● Stress the impact of negative self-talk: It bears repeating, but those with imposter syndrome will tend to focus on what a fraud they are, so, as much as you can, avoid any negative talk and encourage conversations that back up a positive perception of themselves. Think of it like imploring the opposite of imposter syndrome. Stress how awesome they are—without it seeming insincere or cringeworthy.
It can take some effort, but there’s a good chance that if the people close to someone with imposter syndrome convince them that they believe that they are, in fact, not a fraud, they might believe it themselves one day.
Professional Support and Resources
Feeling like you’re nothing but a fraud can enormously impact your mental well-being. While some might be able to counter the imposter syndrome symptoms on their own, the best course of action is to leverage the healing assistance of therapy, from which all sorts of modalities can be of assistance:
● Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Helps individuals reframe negative thinking and build self-confidence.
● Mindfulness and self-compassion Exercises: Techniques such as journaling, meditation, and self-affirmation can reinforce self-worth.
● Career or relationship coaching: Provides strategies to address imposter syndrome at work or in imposter syndrome in relationships.
Tackling these challenges alone is an overwhelming endeavor; that’s why we at Serenity Space Therapy are here to guide you through therapy for imposter syndrome. Our team of skilled professionals can give you the tools required to break from the self-doubt inherent in impostor syndrome. That way, you can finally look upon your achievements with a sense of pride.
Conclusion
Not only can imposter syndrome wreak havoc on the emotional well-being of the person affected, but it can also rob them of any sense of accomplishment that they might receive from any of their success, no matter the industry or profession—from workaholics to creatives. This self-doubt can seep into just about every aspect of their professional lives, and even affect their personal life, as well as they struggle with stress, anxiety, and burnout.
Fortunately, just because you might be experiencing it now, it doesn’t mean that overcoming imposter syndrome is impossible. Far from it, actually. Once you start to recognize its fingerprints, you can start to counter the negative thought patterns, and remember that no matter what, the professional support of Serenity Space Therapy is here to help. Structured therapy can play a crucial role in building confidence and fostering long-term success.
FAQs
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There is not a single main cause, and different people will have it for different reasons. However, some imposter syndrome causes include perfectionism, fear of failure, and early childhood expectations—beyond that, society and workplace competition can foster these feelings of self-doubt that can manifest as imposter syndrome.
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Identifying imposter syndrome in its early stages can be challenging, but it is much easier to detect when it is fully developed. To help you determine whether you experience this phenomenon, consider the four Ps: perfectionism, procrastination, paralysis, and people-pleasing. If you recognize these behaviors in yourself, you might also be struggling with imposter syndrome.
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The 3 Cs are, on some level, the counter to the 4 Ps. They represent a way to counter some of the effects of imposter syndrome; they are competence, confidence, and courage. By keeping these in mind, you can help resist some of the influence of imposter syndrome.
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Everyone can experience feelings of imposter syndrome, and it primarily affects high achievers—students and individuals in competitive careers. Women, minorities, and first-time college students may feel it particularly strongly due to the pressures of their social and work environments.
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Imposter syndrome is not as uncommon as you might think. According to their reports, it's hard to believe that such famous and successful people as Tom Hanks, Robert Pattinson, Emma Watson, Meryl Streep, Albert Einstein, Michelle Obama, and Arianna Huffington have also been struggling with imposter syndrome.