This Is How Impostor Syndrome Uses Success Against Us
imposter syndrome It is a psychological phenomenon that leads some people to have a distorted view of their own merits and abilities. In fact, you could almost say that it makes success itself seen as a problem. Let’s see what it is like.
What does it mean to experience imposter syndrome?
Impostor syndrome is characterized by a pattern of behavior that is characterized by the existence of doubts about one’s own abilities, fear of failure and low expectations regarding the results of one’s own projects It usually occurs at the beginning of challenges that the person values, such as a new job, being a new parent, starting a business, receiving an award, etc.
Although imposter syndrome is not a disorder as such recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), it is estimated that approximately 70% of people have experienced this phenomenon at some point.
Generally, People with this syndrome may consider that others unreasonably magnify or overestimate one’s own achievements ; hence they think they are impostors. In this way, they believe they are not worthy of the recognition that others (friends, bosses, etc.) give them and show concern that others might discover that they are not as intelligent or skilled as they might seem.
His strange relationship with success
As a mechanism, people with imposter syndrome They may attribute their success or ability to luck, chance, their own charisma, or simply being in the right place at the right time In short, they tend to focus on things other than themselves when explaining their success and recognition, considering that they are not up to par. These described feelings can lead the person to work even harder and increase their effort due to the fear of being unmasked, which can lead to greater success and a feedback of initial beliefs and feelings.
The pattern described It is not associated with a high failure rate or a history of unexpected results, but quite the opposite Although the person can count on the recognition of merits and achievements in certain skills, the feeling associated with new challenges is very different. The perception of self-efficacy, self-concept, the social dimension and high self-demand seem to be related to this phenomenon.
What can be done about it from Psychology?
One of the tests to evaluate impostor syndrome is the CIPS, developed by Pauline Clance The questionnaire assesses concerns about being a fraud and doubts about one’s own ability and intelligence. Likewise, it investigates the attribution of merits and the inability or difficulty to accept praise and recognition for the good results obtained.
However, as occurs in most disorders and problems related to mental health, it is difficult for the person to recognize these symptoms and be able to ask for psychological help. Some of the statements with which the person with this tendency could identify are the following:
In therapy, work on self-evaluations, self-efficacy and perfectionism, among other areas, can help the person accept and give value to their achievements, reducing the negative feelings described. Knowing and elaborating on this issue could bring benefits to life satisfaction and have a positive impact on academic and work environments. Therefore, when faced with impostor syndrome, contacting psychologists is a recommended option.
