Imposter Syndrome: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms And How To Overcome It

The term “Imposter syndrome” was coined in 1978 by two clinical psychologists, Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes. They described this condition in an article as a inner experience of intellectual falsehood that afflicts some very successful women. Indeed, the article spoke of a group of student and professional women who, despite their successes, were unable to internalize a sense of themselves as competent.

Why does Impostor syndrome occur? This psychological phenomenon is manifested precisely by the inability to internalize the results obtained and for fear that the alleged fraud that caused them will be exposed. People who suffer are convinced of being false and of not deserve success that they have achieved.

All evidence of their merit is devalued and set aside as the result of having been in the right place at the right time or, rather, of having fraudulently induced others to consider them more intelligent and competent than they really are.

Clance and Imes maintain that the characteristics of Impostor syndrome are the following:

• Conviction that others have a exaggerated conception of capabilities or competencies of the subject.
• Fear of being discovered and reported as scammers.
• Attribute success to external factors such as luck or an extraordinary level of hard work.

Subsequent research has shown that the phenomenon occurs in many people who have higher education and perform high-level functions in various fields, such as education, health and finance.

There is no single triggering cause. Some experts believe one of the causes of impostor syndrome is personality traits, more or less led to anxiety. Others, however, focus on behavioral causes, like growing up with critical parents or competing with a brother or sister. Even feeling like you don’t belong in a community can help determine reductive thoughts about yourself.

Imposter syndrome has been associated with the following psychological characteristics:

• introversion.
• Sudden anxiety.
• Low self-esteem.
• Proneness to shame.
• Conflictive family experiences.
• Little emotional support.
• High self-control.

Another cause of Imposter Syndrome is mainly motivated by desire to demonstrate one’s intelligence. When this fails because a mistake has been made, there is a feeling of helplessness, avoidance of the task, feelings of self-blame, anxiety and shame.

Symptoms of Impostor syndrome often include worries, depressive feelings and anxiety. Generally, they are due to the pressure of having to present the best image of oneself and the fear of being discovered as incompetent. Let’s see what the main symptoms of Impostor syndrome are.

• Fear to fail.
• Negative self-talk.
• Obsession with past mistakes.
• Feeling of incompetence and doubts about your abilities.
• Fear of being exposed as an imposter.
• Tendency towards perfectionism.
• Exaggeration in the preparation of anything.

This phenomenon is usually accompanied by excessive worries, depression and anxiety that derive from the stress that the person undergoes in order to always live up to their image of success and avoid being labeled as unworthy or incompetent.

Imposter syndrome summarizes an emotional weight that requires reasoning and self-analysis to overcome, since it can lead the subject to have psychological difficulties in various areas of life. This syndrome can lead to anxiety or depression disorders and avoidant or dependent personality disorders.

Therefore, to overcome Impostor syndrome you must follow the following steps:

1. Change perspective: first of all, you must learn to recognize the “voice” when it manifests itself. This usually happens when we are faced with something new and are tempted to question our competencies. Sometimes, it is enough to simply observe the idea without “taking” the bait of limiting considerations. If it’s hard to resist the temptation of having these kinds of ideas, let’s put things into perspective.
2. Find a mentor: Sharing your mood with an older colleague or trusted friend provides reassurance. Knowing that other people in the same situations have felt the same way helps.
3. Train to failure: modes of thought become stronger with use. As paradoxical as it may seem, impostor syndrome is combated by giving yourself the opportunity to make mistakes. Reduce expectations to zero and divert attention from the end result to the path to achieve it: mistakes happen, but they will be contextualized as part of the journey and not as a personal fault.
4. Change the evaluation parameters: question external confirmations and refine your ability to give them merit. Establishing your own self-assessment parameters nurtures a sense of self-confidence and redefines the standards of your own performance. Considering ourselves as a whole can be a way to identify talents and qualities that could enrich our resume.

Going to a psychotherapist will allow, through a careful psychological evaluation be aware of one’s own operating mechanisms and one’s own dysfunctional thoughts.

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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