Suffering from Imposter Syndrome

By Haneen Mas’oud

Clinical Psychologist

Impostorism can be experienced in the first weeks of school or work for some and could last for a very long time for others. Read on to find out if this sounds familiar to you and your experience. 

Impostor Syndrome, coined by Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes in the 1970s, describes individuals who feel incompetent, inadequate and have a feeling of being a fraud in different contexts, such as in the classroom or workplace, despite evidence of high achievements.

What do you feel as an impostor?

Individuals who suffer from Impostor Syndrome often feel undeserving of a certain position or success in their jobs. Their internal dialogue sounds like this: 

• “I shouldn’t be here” 

• “This isn’t my place” 

• “I have no idea what I’m doing”

• “I will be caught and people will discover that I’m a fraud”

Because of these thoughts and feelings, people who suffer Impostor Syndrome are unable to negotiate or ask for a raise at work and often feel discomfort upon receiving acknowledgement or praise. They attribute their success to luck and never to their hard work, qualifications or high competencies. The thoughts of not deserving praise and acknowledgement automatically pop up, creating anxiety and sometimes depressive symptoms. 

People who have Impostor Syndrome are not really aware of their level of competence, and usually focus on the knowledge and experience that they lack, which contribute to an increased level of self-doubt and low self-esteem. 

Types of Impostor Syndrome

• The perfectionist has difficulties being satisfied with their achievements, focusing on their flaws and always thinking that they could have done better

• Superwoman or superman is always focused on working extra hours, even late into the night to get validated for their work 

• The natural genius is known for getting tasks done efficiently and in a short time

• The soloist likes to work alone, believing that asking for others’ help would mean they are inadequate and insufficient

• The expert is bothered by her or his lack of knowledge in any field, creating fear when placed in situations where more knowledge is needed

Causes of Impostor Syndrome

No one reason could make a person develop certain symptoms of any psychological condition. However, personality traits, childhood experiences and parenting styles — expecting too much from a child having never been praised or acknowledged by parents and companions between siblings — can all play a role.

Sometimes temporary external factors can trigger feelings of being an impostor; such as getting promoted with a new job description. Those feelings usually fade as one gets used to the job.

Dealing with Impostor Syndrome

Overcoming the feelings of incompetence and self-doubt requires us to be aware of what Imposter Syndrome is so: 

• Reading and educating ourselves about impostorism is important 

• Talking it through with people we trust

• Acknowledging the automatic negative thoughts, challenging impostorism and looking for evidence that supports your impostor feelings

• Accepting the fact that no one is perfect and that it’s okay to make mistakes

• Documenting our successes and achievements so whenever these feelings arise, we can go to a record of our accomplishments

•Seeking professional support to help us reframe our thoughts

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine