Have you ever felt like you’ve achieved success but you’re struggling to believe that it’s your own doing? If this is the case, you might be experiencing Imposter Syndrome. It’s not a disease but rather a feeling where a person starts to doubt their abilities and see their achievements as fraudulent. If addressed early, it can be managed effectively, but if ignored, it can worsen significantly.
What it means
Imposter Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon where people enter a state of self-doubt. They question their achievements or accomplishments, hide their true selves, and pretend to be someone they are not. Most of the time, they feel fake, inadequate, and fearful because they believe they are unworthy of their success and worry about being exposed as a fraud.
Studies suggest that up to 80% of people struggle with this syndrome regardless of intelligence, experience, or achievements. However, it’s most common among high-achievers wherein it affects 70% of the people with their mental health and careers especially women, minorities, and those in new environments (source:Worldmetrics.Org). Those affected may also experience anxiety about making mistakes, overwork to prove their worth or avoid new challenges due to fear of failure.
Siddhi Aiya, Counselling Psychologist and Habit Coach at Alyve Health shares her thoughts on Imposter Syndrome in a personalised manner. She explains, “How do I know if I have Imposter Syndrome? Being overly critical of the smallest mistakes at work, Sensitivity to constructive criticism, Attributing successes to luck or fate rather than your skills, Downplaying your expertise even in areas where you excel, Fear that you won’t live up to others expectations, Experiencing negative thinking or self-doubt.”
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Signs you might be one
Imposter Syndrome is a common experience, and addressing it can lead to increased confidence, self-acceptance, and personal growth. Based on Siddhi’s opinion, one can easily understand the signs and symptoms:
Attributing success to luck or external factors
Difficulty accepting praise or recognition
Feeling like a fake or phoney
Fear of being exposed as incompetent
Overworking to avoid being discovered
Research by Emoneeds also highlighted that this syndrome can manifest across various aspects of life, from professional settings to personal relationships.
How to overcome it
People with Imposter Syndrome often set extremely high standards for themselves and feel anxious about meeting them. Dr. Rahul Chandhok, Head Psychiatrist | Head Consultant, Mental Health and Behavioural Science at Artemis Hospital shares strategies to overcome Imposter Syndrome. Here are a few of them:
Recognise your feelings: Tune in to yourself. Ask yourself about your feeling of incompleteness and reason behind that.
Focus on strengths: Start by documenting achievements, positive feedback, and successful outcomes to combat self-doubt. Keeping documented evidence handy for review during moments of uncertainty helps reinforce genuine capabilities and worth.
Reframe thoughts: Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations and realistic assessments of abilities.
Talk it out: Discuss these feelings with a trusted person who can provide perspective and support.
Set realistic goals: Establish attainable goals and recognise progress towards them.
Working on the aforementioned factors gradually helps to loosen the grip of Imposter Syndrome on self-perception and overall mental well-being. Sanjina Bose, Clinical Psychologist, at LISSUN (Mental Health Platform M.Phil, Clinical Psychology (RCI), helps with effective resolutions. “Thoughts are not facts. Identify and use your strengths. Describe a time when you were able to overcome or handle a major challenge in life. What did you learn about yourself? What personal strengths did you draw upon? Identify sources of humour or joy. Be kind to yourself; make room for mistakes and improve,” she shares.
Imposter Syndrome can only be identified through thorough introspection by the individual. External observers may only speculate that constant procrastination and withdrawal from challenges are signs of Imposter Syndrome. Always have faith in yourself, regardless of the circumstances. You are much more than your doubts. Overcome the imposter within and let your true brilliance shine.
