What is Imposter Phenomenon?
Imposter syndrome, also known as imposter phenomenon among other terms, is a mental health issue where successful people constantly doubt their abilities or achievements. Despite having clear proof that they are successful, these individuals can’t shake the feelings of self-doubt, anxiety, and depression, often fearing that they will be “exposed” as a fraud in their work. This was first observed mainly among accomplished women and other marginalized groups. You’ll often find the syndrome among those who do really well in their work or studies, especially those in healthcare professions. Imposter syndrome can be linked to other mental health issues like burnout, depression, anxiety, and can make other mental health conditions worse.
Imposter syndrome is fairly common, but it’s hard to say exactly how many people have it, as there isn’t a standard medical definition yet. However, there are a few characteristics someone with imposter syndrome might show: perfectionism, a constant need to be a hero, fear of failure, denial of abilities, and fear of success.
Someone with imposter syndrome often falls into a cycle when it comes to tasks at work or personal life. A person may either prepare excessively or procrastinate. In both cases, they might do a great job, but they won’t attribute it to their abilities – thinking they are an imposter. This feeling of being a fraud only fuels their fears and anxieties as they move onto the next task, keeping the cycle going.
Perfectionism is also common among those with Imposter Syndrome. If they have a need to be the best, they may set extremely high standards for themselves that are practically impossible to meet. This makes them push themselves even harder, leading to unhealthy work behaviours.
One of these behaviours is “super-heroism”, where one feels the need to achieve more than is humanly possible. This is usually due to their unreachable personal standards and results in unwanted stress and pressure on their mental health.
Fear of failure, or ‘atychiphobia’, is common in people with imposter syndrome. They may fear humiliation or feel intense anxiety at the possibility of doing worse than their peers on any given task as they’re afraid it would expose them as an imposter.
People with imposter syndrome may also not believe in their own competence and capabilities. They’ll brush off their own intelligence, skills or inborn talents, and believe that they are successful due to some outside help or mere luck, even when there’s no evidence to support this.
Lastly, they may also fear success, or ‘achievemephobia’. This is because they think being successful would only raise the bar even higher or increase their workload.
Remember, these are the most common characteristics and not everyone with imposter syndrome will show all of these signs. Even if someone doesn’t show these typical signs, it doesn’t mean they don’t have imposter syndrome.
What Causes Imposter Phenomenon?
Imposter Syndrome, like many other behavioral health issues, likely has multiple causes. Despite a lot of studies in psychology, psychiatry, and sociology, the scientific community hasn’t really agreed on what causes Imposter Syndrome.
To really figure out what causes it, we need accurate definitions, studies about how common it is and what causes it, and research into other mental health issues that might happen alongside it. At this point, we can split our understanding into two main categories:
* Imposter Syndrome can be a standalone issue caused by a variety of factors, all of which have to do with faulty meta-cognitive processes – simply put, these are processes involved in thinking about our thinking. It’s increasingly identified in high-pressure school and work environments, including undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate, and professional education settings. Such environments, with various levels of internal self-scrutiny and external expectations, might contribute to the onset of IS. It can happen to anyone, but it appears more common among high-performing healthcare professionals.
* Imposter Syndrome might also be seen as a complex indication of other mental health disorders. It may partially result from a range of mood and personality disorders.
Risk Factors and Frequency for Imposter Phenomenon
Imposter syndrome, while not thoroughly studied or documented, does have a presence among individuals in the United States and across the world. This condition often affects women and socially marginalized groups like ethnic minorities and those with lower socio-economic status, more than it does men.
Imposter syndrome is particularly common among students, minority groups, and people working in high-pressure environments. Healthcare students report a high level of imposter syndrome, with the condition influencing their well-being and quality of life significantly. One study showed over a quarter of male medical students and half of the female students admitted to experiencing imposter syndrome. This same research also drew a connection between imposter syndrome and burnout, which implies the syndrome has serious repercussions on both personal and professional life of students and personnel.
- Imposter syndrome is more common among women and marginalized groups.
- High reports of imposter syndrome occur in students, minority groups, and high-stress work environments, particularly in healthcare.
- About 25% of male and 50% of female medical students reported experiencing imposter syndrome.
- In the same study, imposter syndrome associates significantly with burnout.
- Imposter syndrome affects the overall well-being and quality of life of students and professionals.
Another study conducted among pharmacy students suggested a link between high scores on the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (a measure of imposter syndrome) and the number of work hours per week and a history of mental health treatment. This suggests that high-pressure academic environments could increase or reveal imposter syndrome in people more predisposed to the condition, and thus could play a contributory role in its manifestation. Other studies involving medical, dental, veterinary, and pharmacy students, nurses, and trainee doctors support this link between imposter syndrome and high-stress academic and healthcare environments.
Signs and Symptoms of Imposter Phenomenon
Identifying imposter syndrome can be tricky based on a person’s history and their physical examination. This is largely because many of the signs of this syndrome overlap with those of other psychological or mental health conditions.
- The imposter cycle
- Doubting their own intellect
- Low self-esteem
- Feeling like a fake or not good enough
- Ignoring or downplaying their own skills, awards, or successes
- Being afraid of both failure and success
- Treating everyday life like a superhero would
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Burnout
- Constantly comparing themselves to others at work
- Unhealthy personality behavior
Testing for Imposter Phenomenon
When trying to identify imposter syndrome, a detailed review of the person’s history, physical health, social, environmental, and psychological factors is necessary. Since there are no standardized or universally accepted criteria for diagnosing imposter syndrome, understanding the whole picture of what a person is experiencing is very important.
The most commonly used tool to diagnose imposter syndrome is the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale. This consists of 20 questions that rate how much you agree or disagree with different statements. However, it’s important to note that this scale hasn’t been validated by external research. There are also other scales that have been created to diagnose imposter syndrome, such as the Harvey Impostor Phenomenon Scale, Young Imposter Scale, Leary Imposter Scale, and the Perceived Fraudulence Scale.
Whether additional diagnostic tests, such as lab tests or X-rays, are needed will depend on the individual and the judgement of the evaluating doctor. These tests usually don’t provide helpful information about imposter syndrome itself, unless the person has a physical condition that can influence their psychological state.
One way to evaluate for imposter syndrome is through self-assessment and having peers or mentors give their opinion. A detailed physical examination can help rule out physical conditions that may be causing mental health symptoms. Some people with imposter syndrome may experience physical symptoms that are actually caused by mental distress (also known as psychosomatic symptoms), and a physical exam can help address these.
Treatment Options for Imposter Phenomenon
Treating and managing imposter syndrome, a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their skills, talents or accomplishments, can differ based on how significantly it’s impacting someone’s life. Mental health professionals will decide on the most appropriate treatment depending upon the individual case and the presence of any other mental health conditions.
Some possible strategies for dealing with imposter syndrome can include:
* Self-reflection or ‘metacognition’: This simply means taking time to think about what you’re thinking, in order to understand your thought patterns better.
* Counselling: This can provide a confidential and empathetic space to talk about your feelings and learn new coping strategies.
* Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT aims to change the way you think and behave, helping you to manage your problems by changing how you think and act.
* Psychotherapy: This is also known as talk therapy, where you speak about your condition with a licensed mental health professional.
* Medication: In some cases, if other mental health conditions exist alongside imposter syndrome, medication may be prescribed. Future research might also reveal if medication could be directly helpful for imposter syndrome.
* Gratitude exercises: These activities can help you appreciate what you’ve achieved, which can counteract the feelings of doubt associated with imposter syndrome.
Each method isn’t fit for everyone, and often a combination of these treatments may be most effective.
What else can Imposter Phenomenon be?
Imposter syndrome isn’t officially recognized by the DSM-V or other formal medical guides, so several other conditions could be confused with it. But, these are usually also conditions that may be found alongside imposter syndrome. These include:
- Different types of anxiety like generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobia, OCD, and PTSD
- Depression
- Other mood disorders
- Burnout
- Low self-esteem
- Personality disorders
What to expect with Imposter Phenomenon
Imposter syndrome, a condition where people doubt their abilities and fear being exposed as a fraud, doesn’t currently have formal diagnostic standards or established treatments. As such, we can’t make any concrete predictions or comments about the future developments or outcomes of this condition.
Possible Complications When Diagnosed with Imposter Phenomenon
Imposter syndrome can lead to a variety of issues. It can make existing emotional and mental health conditions worse. It can also cause new emotional and mental health conditions to come about.
- Worsening of existing emotional and mental health conditions
- Emergence of new emotional and mental health conditions
Preventing Imposter Phenomenon
Teachers can help stop the feeling of being an “imposter” by reinforcing to students that they truly deserve their spot in the professional school they’re attending. If people feel unsure about their abilities, it’s essential to address these worries quickly to avoid falling into a constant cycle of needing validation, which may lead to feelings of being an imposter. This might be particularly vital for those who are a minority in medicine and other professional fields.
