Dear friends,
First, I would like to apologize for not posting as regularly as I would like. If I were perfect, I would be posting daily; however, I am not perfect. No one is. And, that's actually kind of related in a way to the topic of this blog post.
A few weeks ago, I asked what blog topics would interest people on my Instagram. One response that really grabbed my attention was "Impostor Syndrome". To be honest, I had heard of the term, but I hadn't really done much of my own research about it. I just knew the basics. Mainly because I read an article about Ellie Goulding and how she copes with Imposter Syndrome. Yes, Ellie Goulding, one of the most famous singers in the world, who once dated Niall Horan, has been diagnosed with Imposter Syndrome. That's one thing about it. A lot of successful people struggle with the feelings associated with the "impostor phenomenon" (that's another word used for Impostor Syndrome by the way).
Anyways, the impostor phenomenon was first described by two psychologists, Suzanne Imes, Ph.D., and Pauline Rose Clance, Ph.D., (two women may I point out :)) in the 1970s. Basically, it's when high achieving individuals cannot internally process and/or accept his/her own success. Some people describe "feeling like a fraud" in a sense. Technically, it's not a "mental illness", because it's not listed in the DSM-5. It's actually a specific form of intellectual self-doubt, and lots of psychologists recognize this. Unfortunately, impostor feelings usually come hand in hand with anxiety and depression. And, due to the nature of the syndrome, lots of people suffer in silence and do not seek out treatment to help cope with the symptoms.
Similar to mental illnesses listed in the DSM-5, the impostor phenomenon can affect men and women, although it was originally thought to be specifically associated with females (I thought that was kind of strange, just goes to show how times change, I guess).
Some of the risk factors and symptoms associated with the syndrome are listed as follows:
Having parental figures who overemphasized achievement; mainly, parents who send "mixed signals" to their kids by switching between criticism and praise for achievements. Presenting kids with this "pressure" to achieve greatness can take over their sense of self-worth and can leave them feeling confused between worthiness, achievement, approval, and love.
Being a part of a minority group can make an individual more susceptible to feelings of impostor syndrome
Differing from the majority of your peers in any characteristic such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, etc.
Entering a new chapter in your life/trying something new/going out of your comfort zone/facing a new challenge
If you're a perfectionist
Overpreparing or spending more time on something than what's necessary
procrastinating for fear of not being able to complete something or it not being to your liking
being afraid to ask for help
feeling like everything you do has to be perfect
If you find yourself meeting a lot of these risk factors and symptoms, there's a chance you may suffer from the impostor phenomenon/impostor syndrome. Fortunately, there are many ways to cope and deal with impostor syndrome. I compiled a short list of tips and recommendations for dealing with the impostor phenomenon, although not every treatment works for everyone. Most people have to try out different treatments to figure out which one(s) work best for them. And, most of the time, a combination of treatments usually works best.
Some tips on combating Impostor Syndrome:
talk to your loved ones, your mentors, your therapist, etc.
think about what you do well and focus on that
understand and recognize that no one is perfect, including yourself
try to change your thinking patterns; like I always say, "it's all about perspective". Try to reframe how you view and think about your achievements and what you've done to get them.
get help if you already haven't and you're still struggling
Anyways, I hope that whoever is reading this knows that you are enough. Take time for yourself, appreciate every day like it's your last, and don't forget to stop and smell the roses. Until next time.
xoxo,
Allie
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