What Is Imposter Syndrome? Definition, Symptoms and How to Overcome It

You're a fake—a fraud. You don't know what you're doing at work and people will find out. If this sounds like your internal monologue, you may have imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is a condition first identified by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance, Ph.D., and Suzanne Imes, Ph.D., in their 1978 paper, "The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention."

Clance and Imes wrote about imposter syndrome affecting women, but psychologists today agree that anyone can suffer from it. Those who experience this condition can suffer mentally and physically. Depression and anxiety are common comorbidities, and those can lead to further physical ailments.

Fortunately, it's possible to overcome impostor syndrome and regain confidence in the workplace or at school.

What Is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is a mental health condition wherein someone experiences severe self-doubt in some area of their lives, despite their hard work and objective success.

Imposter syndrome is not the same as feeling unsure of oneself. Most people feel self-doubt from time to time, but people with imposter syndrome cannot shake these feelings. A sense of uncertainty dominates their lives, often in areas of significant personal achievement. Imposter syndrome often strikes people with excellent grades or impressive careers, like medical students and doctors.

Imposter syndrome is not officially recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, many mental health professionals acknowledge its presence among modern professionals and students. About 70 percent of people have experienced imposter feelings at some point in their lives, according to a paper by Jaruwan Sakulku and James Alexander published in the International Journal of Behavioral Science.

The lack of official diagnostic criteria makes it difficult to say exactly how the syndrome affects people. However, imposter syndrome often appears alongside well-documented conditions like generalized anxiety disorder and depression, according to Dr. Dena Bravata and her co-authors.

No two people with this condition are the same, and the reasons why they are blind to their success may depend on the type of imposter syndrome they have.

What Are the 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome?

Valerie Young, Ph.D., is the co-founder of the Impostor Syndrome Institute and an internationally recognized expert on the condition. She describes five types of people with imposter syndrome in her book, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: And Men: Why Capable People Suffer from Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive In Spite of It:

1. The Expert
2. The Natural Genius
3. The Perfectionist
4. The Soloist
5. The Superperson

The Expert

The Expert must learn everything and master every skill in their field. Anything less and they feel like an imposter.

You might be "The Expert" if:

• You don't want to call yourself an expert, even though you have advanced knowledge on a subject.
• You often seek out new training or certification to extend your knowledge in your field, but you never feel like you know enough.
• You impress others with your knowledge and skills, but their praise doesn't leave an impression on you.

The Natural Genius

For the Natural Genius, being competent at something means picking it up quickly and easily.

Sooner or later, though, the natural genius reaches a challenge they can't easily defeat. When they encounter a project they can't complete right away or a skill that takes time to master, they fail to live up to their idea of competence and feel like a fraud.

You might be "The Natural Genius" if:

• You only think you're good at something when it's easy for you.
• You give up on tasks you can't do right away.
• You have trouble seeing skill levels between 'novice' and 'expert.'

The Perfectionist

The Perfectionist sets impossibly high standards for their work—it must be perfect. When they can't meet their impossible expectations, they feel like an imposter.

You might be "The Perfectionist" if:

• You spend much more time on projects than your colleagues.
• You notice mistakes quickly, no matter how small they are.
• You need to micromanage others who don't seem to share your high standards.

The Soloist

The Soloist (sometimes called the Rugged Individualist) must do everything on their own. Asking for help is a sign that they don't know how to do their job. Competence means accomplishing everything alone.

You might be "The Soloist" if:

• You complete projects on your own, even if it means working much harder.
• You resent negative feedback, even if it's constructive.
• You feel like a failure if you need to ask for help.

The Superperson

The Superperson feels the pressure to 'do it all.' According to Young, this type of imposter syndrome originates with women who needed to juggle the roles of mother and homemaker with full-time employment.

In the workplace, "The Superperson" feels like they must be a manager and a team member at the same time. Alongside these roles, they take on other duties outside the workplace, like caring for their family, volunteering to help their community and maintaining their personal relationships.

You might be "The Superperson" if:

• You never turn down additional responsibilities, in work or your personal life.
• You feel pressure to be good at everything, even if you have a lot on your plate.
• Others are impressed by your dedication, but you think you could be doing more.

Imposter Syndrome Symptoms

Imposter syndrome has no official diagnostic criteria, but Clance, Imes and their successors recognize several common signs and symptoms in people experiencing the condition:

• Persistent self-doubt. Many people experience periodic self-doubt, but these feelings don't go away for people with imposter syndrome. They persist in spite of objective success or praise from others.
• Attributing success to luck or accident. People with imposter syndrome use maladaptive strategies to account for their objective success. When something good happens, like a promotion or a successful project, they chalk it up to factors outside their control, rather than acknowledging their competence.
• The imposter cycle. The cycle begins with feelings of anxiety and self-doubt. Those prompt different coping strategies, including over-preparation or procrastination. After completing a task, the imposter finds ways to discount positive feedback. This renews their sense of imposterhood and fuels their feelings of anxiety and self-doubt.
• Fear of failure. People suffering from imposter syndrome feel failure's sting more strongly than others. Even small failures affirm their self-doubt.
• Fear of success. Counterintuitively, people with imposter syndrome also fear success. Doing well at something could undermine their self-doubt. Imposter feelings are a core part of their identity so they may self-sabotage to avoid confronting their objective status as high achievers.

People are more likely to suffer imposter syndrome when they are dissatisfied with their jobs, feel motivated to high achievement, or have trouble managing work-life balance. According to Bravata et al., some studies have also found that women are more likely to suffer imposter feelings than men.

Imposter Syndrome Causes

No one knows for sure what causes imposter syndrome, but psychologists have a few theories.

Family Relations

Clance and Imes attributed imposter syndrome to family relations early in life in their landmark research in 1978. Since then, other researchers have found some support for this theory.

According to this view, pressure on children to be the perfect kid or measure up against smart and talented siblings contributes to imposter feelings later in life. Parents who withhold praise can exacerbate this pressure and lead children down the path of self-doubt.

Personality Traits

Some researchers attribute imposter syndrome to personality traits like perfectionism, fear of failure or denial of competence. Certain high-pressure environments, like work or academic settings, can draw out these traits and make their bearers feel like imposters.

Social Context

Some psychologists argue that attributing severe self-doubt to personality traits medicalizes imposter syndrome and causes people experiencing self-doubt to believe that there's something wrong with them.

Instead, they say imposter syndrome arises from a person's social context. People don't just feel like imposters—they are made to feel like imposters by the environments they inhabit.

Supporters of the social context approach point out that imposter syndrome diagnoses are problematic. They put the blame on individuals, instead of calling out sexist, racist and classist institutions that make people feel like they don't belong.

How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome is closely associated with job satisfaction and burnout, according to Bravata and her co-authors. It can also lead to more serious mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, so it's important to overcome it.

Due to there being no official DSM-5 recommendations about imposter syndrome, there's little academic literature evaluating treatment options. However, Dr. Martin Huecker and his co-authors writing for the National Library of Medicine recommend strategies like self-reflection, gratitude exercises and counseling for individuals experiencing the condition.

Recognize Your Imposter Syndrome

Remind yourself where these feelings of fraudulence are coming from. They aren't rational and don't reflect your actual abilities or performance. Once you realize that these feelings are a product of imposter syndrome, you're ready to recognize yourself as a talented and successful person.

Assess Yourself Objectively

Make a list of your achievements, which are the evidence of your competence. That includes projects completed, promotions earned and praise from colleagues. Then, try making a list of reasons why you are not competent, without using your subjective feelings of self-doubt. Comparing these lists can help you see your capabilities in a more objective light.

Practice Positive Self-Talk

People with imposter syndrome have trouble seeing their own success. Get out of the imposter cycle by making positive self-talk part of your daily routine. The Mayo Clinic recommends replacing negative self-talk with positive sentiments to alter your self-image for the better.

Project Confidence Even If You Aren't Confident

Sometimes you have to "fake it 'till you make it." Behave like a confident professional and you may start to think of yourself as one.

Improve Work-Life Balance

Your work does not define your self-worth. Seek a better work-life balance and build an image of yourself that's more than your self-doubt. Workplace Clarity founder Nina Nesdoly previously told Newsweek that separating your work and home environments is "incredibly important because your brain does not know the difference."

Talk to Your Colleagues

Talk to your colleagues about your self-doubt. They can be a source of validation and offer reassurance about your abilities. Remember that 70 percent of people experience it at some point. You might be surprised to learn that some of your colleagues feel the same as you, even though you see them as successful professionals.

Avoid Social Media

Social media often prompts us to make uninformed comparisons with our peers. Reducing social media usage can help you feel better about yourself.

Meet With a Mental Health Professional

Imposter syndrome may not be an official mental disorder, but a mental health counselor can still help overcome feelings of self-doubt in the workplace. They can help contextualize your feelings and treat some of the comorbidities of imposter syndrome, like anxiety and depression.

It's easy to get remote mental health care these days, and a qualified therapist can help you overcome imposter syndrome and improve your self-esteem.