What Is Imposter Syndrome?
And in the decades since, mental health experts and lay people alike have been talking about it.
(Note that both imposter and impostor are correct spellings of the term, according toMerriam-Webster.)
Although people commonly refer to it as a syndrome, he says, that term is misleading.
Imposter feelings are specific to competence, she explains.
What Causes Imposter Syndrome?
Thats not supported by research.
That said, not everyone with trauma will experience imposter feelings.
Trying to be perfect is really not realistic, Cokley says.
If, instead, you have higher self-esteem, it can reduce the impact of perfectionism on imposter feelings.
We see a lot of overthinking or worry about being found out or not being good enough.
“But it feels like an individual problem, which means it stays invisible.
People tend to blame themselves, even if what theyre feeling is influenced by larger social inequities.
She adds that some people think they have social anxiety, for instance, rather than imposter feelings.
It can also sometimes lead to depression, she adds, or coping mechanisms like alcohol use.
And feeling like a fraud can show up in different areas of your life, Reynaga Abiko says.
It can also impact both.
The researchers concluded, though, that more research is needed.
Here are some tips that may help:
1.
Know Youre Not Alone
This is key, Reynaga Abiko says.
Just how many people experience it?
I guess Im a phony after all.
Comparing yourself with others in that way, Cokley says, will only make imposter feelings resurface.
Try something like, Im so good at noticing how I feel during interviews, Reynaga Abiko says.
That way, she says, you wont inadvertently feel like an imposter with them, too.
