Imposter syndrome, also known as "imposter syndrome", is a common psychological disorder. This disorder, which can develop when a person sees himself/herself as inadequate in many areas, often causes the individual to think that he/she does not deserve the success he/she has achieved and that he/she has reached his/her current position by chance. The treatment of psychological disorder, also known as mood disorder, is possible with personalized treatments to be applied by specialists.
Even if the person or people experiencing this situation have a very good education, a successful position or a happy life, there may be many issues that constantly occupy their minds. The reason for this is that the person thinks that everything they have is just a coincidence and luck and that they don't deserve it.
The person sees themselves as inadequate and unsuccessful. He or she may also feel that he or she does not deserve the respect of the people around him or her. Such situations indicate that the person is suffering from impostor syndrome and needs to be treated. The person should go over this situation with the support of experts in the field and should be treated.
What are the Symptoms of Imposter Syndrome?
The common characteristics of individuals who have a problem such as seeing themselves as unsuccessful and inadequate are the achievements they have achieved. This condition, which is seen in individuals who are successful and talented in every subject compared to people who have not achieved any success throughout their lives, is a syndrome that is much more common in people who always try to achieve better due to the perfectionist, meticulous and anxious nature of the person.
Symptoms of imposter syndrome are as follows;
- Feeling unsuccessful
- Feeling inadequate
- Thinking that you don't deserve everything you have
- Finding people's positive reactions and congratulations exaggerated
- Thinking that their success is a fluke
- Avoiding public speaking
People with mood disorders often show timid attitudes when they are going to give a speech somewhere in public, and may even want to escape from society for fear that it will be understood that they do not have the skills related to the subject.
What are the Causes of Imposter Syndrome?
The most important reason among the causes of this syndrome is the discomfort of being in a different place from where the person should be. If the person is in a job position that they do not want to do or do not like, they may encounter situations such as not finding themselves sufficient to be successful or not thinking that they can achieve success.
The causes of imposter syndrome can be listed as follows:
Parental and Family Behavior
A person may experience this syndrome as a result of their family's behavior and attitudes towards them during their childhood. If the family puts pressure on the person, especially in terms of success, and praises them too much or vice versa, people may experience this situation in the future.
Perfectionist Approaches
When a person is appreciated and praised too much, he/she thinks that he/she must always be the best in his/her work and actions, and this can lead to a sense of perfectionism. The person who thinks that he/she cannot meet expectations may feel guilty and this syndrome may occur.
Critical Behavior
The constant critical attitudes of the family and people around the individual may lead to the idea that the individual does not deserve the successes and rewards gained in the future.
Sexist Approaches
This condition may be more common in women than in men due to the sexist approach and discrimination of the family. Growing up with a lack of self-confidence, a person may think that their position and achievements are the result of luck.
Traumatic Events
These individuals may grow up under a lot of pressure and experience traumatic events in their childhood. They may try to achieve success and gain the respect of others by constantly being compared with others by their family and environment. The person may face the consequences of this situation in adulthood and find it very difficult to gain self-confidence. In addition, this situation can negatively affect the person's relationships and life with his/her social environment.
Who Has Imposter Syndrome?
This syndrome, which can be experienced by individuals of all groups, is more common in women than in men. Some families in our society put more pressure on their daughters and want them to be in control. This pressure and upbringing can lead to a lack of self-confidence.
The family members of the person impose the awareness that the person must be successful and gain prestige by constantly displaying an attitude of desire and comparison. In addition, the person experiencing these situations may have a perfectionist structure under the belief that these behaviors are normal and that they should behave in this way and be successful.
Themost common people with imposter syndrome are as follows:
Students: People at the beginning of their educational years are more prone to compare themselves with other people. For this reason, they may take into account the success achieved by others and not see their own achievements. It can be seen more in people who start studying at an older age. In addition, the expectations of the family may also create pressure on these people.
High Status Employees: Since there are many talented and successful people around these people, there are many people they can see as a comparison to themselves. This situation can be seen more in these people.
Successful Individuals: Successful individuals or people who have achieved success at an early age ignore their talents because they see their success as luck.
Imposter Syndrome Treatment
People with this psychological problem can be treated as with many other psychological problems. The person should address this problem and receive treatment with the support of a specialist psychiatrist or a specialist psychologist.
Some other psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression may also accompany this condition. In terms of the treatment process, the person should recognize this syndrome, gain awareness and reveal the factors that cause this condition. It is also important to determine at which points in the person's life this condition occurs. The methods and recommendations that can be applied in the treatment of impostor syndrome are as follows:
- Trying to eliminate and improve the lack of self-confidence
- Recognizing and supporting the lack of empathy
- Achievements are written down and awareness is raised
- Situations in which the person judges himself/herself are identified and different approaches are gained
- When the idea that successes are the result of chance arises, seeking ideas that will prove this idea conclusively.
- Realizing that one can make mistakes in one's life and that these situations are normal
- Trying to overcome this situation with breathing exercises when anxiety arises
- Rewarding oneself by revealing one's accomplishments and talents
- Taking into account the supportive comments of others when one has difficulty seeing one's achievements
In the event of this situation, it is important for the person to be aware of the work he/she is doing and to consider and evaluate the positive aspects. If the person fails to do this, they can meet this need by getting support from their environment. Generally, these people cannot truly evaluate themselves in what they are competent in, and by getting support from different people, they can increase their awareness and prevent this situation.
In addition to these, the therapies that the person will receive are very important. While in some cases it is possible to progress with medication support, it is recommended that a person experiencing these conditions should see a specialist to normalize their life. Such situations should not be feared and should be addressed. The person can prevent such problems by getting support from a specialist in the field.