Imposter’s Syndrome,” a term new to me, thrown out by J. Credence during our weekly strategizing (what are we doing, where are we headed) session, piqued my curiosity. Being in the “mental health” field for many years, this term caught me by surprise and I immediately began investigating.
Thinking this referred to a person who displays characteristics not true to his or her character (think sociopath who routinely sabotages people with “wolves in sheep” clothing behavior), I was to be surprised.
First, I need to clarify an important point, this syndrome is not a mental disorder, nor is it recognized in the DSM or ICD (standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals). So, a better descriptive term would be Imposter Phenomenon or Imposter Experience.
Defining
Imposter Phenomenon is generally described as doubting one’s personal abilities and feeling like a fraud. This can lead to feeling insecure as evidenced by lower self-confidence and loss of belief in one’s abilities. As a result, the person finds it difficult to accept personal accomplishments and may deny or discount praise, questioning whether he or she is deserving of praise and compliments.
Accompanying symptoms may be anxiety, stress, rumination (continually thinking the same thoughts). It should be noted that professional classification systems do recognize those feelings along with low self-esteem and sense of failure as associated with depression.
It is theorized that feelings of being an imposter likely results from multiple factors, including personality traits (such as perfectionism) and family background. One theory is that imposter syndrome is rooted in families that value achievement above all else, where the person acutely feels the need to be special, fears failure, or guilt about success.
History and Criticism
A concept originally developed in the late 1970’s and 1980’s, it can be said Imposter Syndrome does not represent a worldwide view. Indeed, the fact that it can be considered a diagnosis at all is considered problematic.
Critics point out that biases were not properly accounted for in the conceptual research. In addition, this syndrome appears to affect mostly high achieving people. The observations, including feelings of discomfort, second-guessing oneself, and mild anxiety in the workplace were pathologized, especially for women.
A suggestion is made to value different styles of leadership, appreciating diversity, rather than trying to fix individuals.
Making it Practical
I personally think this is interesting information, but please be very careful labeling people. That said, we should be open to listening and learning from others’ experiences.
We can acknowledge that entering varying situations (moving, family situation, job, illness, school, church, etc) can trigger feelings of anxiety, self-doubt and confusion which could lead to depression.
Recommendations shared include:
– Break the silence (talk to somebody)
– Separate feelings from fact (what is the truth vs what you feel)
– Recognize when you should feel fraudulent (be truthful with yourself)
– Highlight your positives (God gave you many gifts)
– Develop a healthy response to mistakes (learn from your experience, don’t beat yourself up)
– Develop a new script (re-word what happened & how you will face new situations)
– Visualize success (picture yourself with a healthy view of your strengths and gifts).
All good suggestions. However, the best way to combat feeling like an imposter is to remember that each of us are here on this earth, at this specific time, with a God-given special purpose.
Find verses that show much God loves you and meditate on them. This will get you started:
“You formed my innermost parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well” (Psalms 139:13&14)
[In her retirement, CJ Austin continues to read, write, publish and share insights from her professional background (marriage and family therapy) with others. Contact: cjaustinauthor@gmail.com]
Life Thoughts Today 