I, Fraud: Imposter Syndrome

Making Use of a Psychology Degree, Issue #6

I used to be a severe sufferer of Imposter Syndrome: a self-perception of incompetence despite all evidence to the contrary. Over the course of my psychology studies, I learned that there are five types of Imposter Syndrome, though all share a clear common thread:

• Perfectionist. Maladaptive perfectionism, as defined by Psychology Today, is driven by a fear of failure and low self-esteem, and can be linked to bad childhood experiences.? It tends to be accompanied by depression, anxiety, OCD, and a belief that love is conditional. Perfectionist imposters find it impossible to delegate anything. Quality bars are set ridiculously high, and so when constructive criticism is received, or the mark is perceived to be missed, the self-inflicted lashings can go on for days. Even when management's expectations are exceeded, the perfectionist is still drawn to what could have been better, thus relegating their work to sub-standard status. It is said that while perfectionists tell themselves that they are focusing on achieving success, subconsciously they are focusing on avoiding failure.
• Superhuman. You can identify this self-proclaimed imposter by several traits. They are the ones who always have to be the first person at their desk and the last one to turn the lights out behind them when they leave. They are perpetually busy, working during lunch, sending emails late at night, and taking on work that either isn't their responsibility or isn't due for days (or weeks). When something is finished early, instead of taking advantage of downtime, the deliverable is constantly tweaked or another project is picked up. These imposters are fearful of being seen as lazy or ineffective by colleagues and management. They typically do not possess the self-worth or confidence to validate themselves or judge their efforts or quality of work as satisfactory. They are driven by praise and notoriety.
• Natural Genius. When constantly praised as a child for being good at everything (as opposed to being praised for the specific thing or things that you are good at) it can set a foundation for an unrealistic perception that their natural intelligence or talent will drive success. Some things do come easy to others while others have to work harder. What gets lost in some people's minds is that when the field of competition or expectation grows, success may be harder to come by. As an example, just because you won the Little League version of the Cy Young award doesn't guarantee you a place in the starting lineup of the Boston Red Sox. These imposters set impossibly high standards for themselves, so when they enter into a highly competitive environment, the pressure and panic can be overwhelming. Any setback is self-perceived as catastrophic, and often other people or situations are blamed for the person's inability to reach the top. They fail to recognize the necessary combination of hard work, practice, patience, and opportunity. In parallel, they lack the ability to self-reflect or reframe negative self-talk. To them, "work in progress" equates to failure.

• Soloist. The Soloist imposter syndrome craves independence, believing that receiving or asking for help is a sign of weakness. Often the so-called "rugged individualist" who loudly proclaims their independence tends to be the one who feels isolated and overwhelmed and harbors feelings of inadequacy. Networking is extremely difficult for soloists, as is receiving constructive criticism. If help is needed, it is never in the form of a personal appeal, but rather identifying that a particular task or situation needs looking at (a subtle yet important difference). There are many sources of this mindset, including forced self-reliance as a child due to neglectful parenting, or early experiences with being let down by someone resulting in a traumatic or embarrassing situation.

• Expert. This type of imposter syndrome is characterized by believing that complete mastery over every detail of a process or area of expertise is mandatory for success. These imposters will relentlessly pursue advanced degrees or certifications to fill what they perceive are voids in their skill set which if discovered could "out" them as frauds. Ironically, expert imposters feel uncomfortable being called an expert, and will often avoid job opportunities where they feel they cannot tick the box for every qualification. Despite years of experience, they feel unprepared. They are unable to objectively look back on their career and note their myriad successes or instances where their expertise was directly responsible for a positive work outcome.

One additional trait that accompanies any of these imposter syndrome types is the perpetual fear of being fired or downsized. When the so-called imposter loses their job through no fault of their own, it is akin to a spear through the chest. Those who define themselves through work instead of a well-rounded life are particularly at risk for incurring trauma in such a situation. Any career misstep or setback can reinforce imposter syndrome, making it harder to overcome.

If you identify with any of the above, you are not alone. 43% of people surveyed who were highly stressed at their jobs attributed it to the fear of being let go - that fear being driven in part or entirely by imposter syndrome.

Therapy can help alleviate or eliminate this condition over time. One approach is cognitive behavioral theory which is based on the principle that psychological problems are based, in part, on faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking, and/or learned patterns of faulty or unhelpful behavior. Anyone can learn new coping skills which can lead to relieving people of their symptoms. It is particularly helpful for people suffering from PTSD. Here is a link to the American Psychological Association's article on the subject: https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral.

There is potentially no worse critic or bully than you when it comes to valuing yourself. Our perceptions can be very inaccurate, particularly when we judge ourselves against measures that are not based on fact or real importance.

References

Hamer, L. (2017). Job Statistics That’ll Scare the Crap Out of You, https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/job-statistics-that-scare-crap-out-of-you.html/

Marter, J. (2023). 5 Types of Imposter Syndrome & How to Overcome Them. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/imposter-syndrome-types/#:~:text=Another%20type%20of%20imposter%20syndrome,to%20them%20without%20really%20trying

Psychology Today. (2021). Perfectionism. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/perfectionism#:~:text=Perfectionism%20is%20a%20personality%20trait%20characterized%20by%20high%20expectations%20and,be%20a%20symptom%20of%20OCD

Wilding, M.J. (2020). 5 Different Types of Imposter Syndrome (and 5 Ways to Battle Each One), https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-different-types-of-imposter-syndrome-and-5-ways-to-battle-each-one