Imposter Syndrome

Imposter Syndrome

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If you work in the healthcare field, you have likely heard of the term “imposter syndrome.” So what is imposter syndrome and why is it so prevalent in this sector.  According to Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, two clinical psychologists who first identified and named the phenomenon back in 1978- Imposter syndrome is the condition of feeling anxious and not experiencing success internally, despite being high-performing in external, objective ways. This condition often results in people feeling like "a fraud" or "a phony" and doubting their abilities.  While Imposter syndrome is not an official psychiatric diagnosis, it is correlated with other mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression. It is known to be more prevalent among women, specifically women of colour, however men are certainly still very much susceptible.

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Imposter syndrome can be understood as closely related to perfectionism where people feel pressure to perform at their absolute best 100 percent of the time, and when they don’t, they feel inept and anxious. The key difference is that with imposter syndrome people believe that they are undeserving of their achievements or successes because they don’t feel that they are as competent or intelligent as others might think. They instead attribute their accomplishments to external causes, luck or good timing. They also have an underlying feeling that people around them might discover the truth about their perceived incompetence. anxious. The key difference is that with imposter syndrome people believe that they are undeserving of their achievements or successes because they don’t feel that they are as competent or intelligent as others might think. They instead attribute their accomplishments to external causes, luck or good timing. They also have an underlying feeling that people around them might discover the truth about their perceived inadequacies.  

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There is no specific root cause for Impostor Syndrome, however, certain personality traits, experiences and environments make some individuals more susceptible. For example, growing up in a rigid household with intense pressure on academic achievement can lead to issues related to this condition such as self-efficacy, perfectionism and neuroticism. In adulthood, competitive or highly academic environments can have a similar effect.  The hospital environment is a great example of one of such environment as there is an emphasis on achievement, knowledge and academia. Imposter syndrome is a fairly common phenomenon. According to Sakulku (2011), around 25 to 30 percent of high achievers may suffer from impostor syndrome. And around 70 percent of adults may experience “impostorism” at least once in their lifetime. (Sakulku, 2011)

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Overcoming imposter syndrome can feel much like breaking a bad habit. First and foremost, it requires a lot of self-compassion and positive affirmation. It requires a mindset shift about one's own abilities and a frequent and constant reminder that your success, or achievements were earned and are in fact deserved.  It also requires a shift away from comparison, and an acceptance that it’s okay to make mistakes, and recognition that what we have already achieved is more than enough.  If no one has told you today… You are enough! ‍

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Reference:

Sakulku, J. (2011). The Impostor Phenomenon. The Journal of Behavioral Science, 6(1), 75–97. https://doi.org/10.14456/ijbs.2011.6

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For more information:

Imposter Syndrome | Psychology Today