Low self-esteem is the tendency to feel humiliated for not being able to stay in a specific zone because of difficulties with money, a disability, a low IQ, or physical problems. But since these two characters don’t have the same lifestyle, it differs from impostor syndrome. What do you genuinely believe in, what is your passion, and are you impacting the people around you, or do you feel unsure or incapable of imparting such knowledge to them?

I firmly believe that one’s attitude is similar to random access memory (RAM), which is responsible for stimulating one’s activity and has already been installed during the process of learning from the surroundings they independently discovered. This is an inner question to consider. Hopefully, a person does not develop a syndrome like this from birth, but rather from their environment. No one is naturally an extrovert or an introvert; instead, the environment is the primary consideration. The imposter syndrome, however, is the most important thing and a barrier to not moving forward or possibly not being able to push on in the direction of one’s dream. Imposter syndrome is particularly bad for human development, yet low self-esteem is an atom that is tied to the room.

What Is Imposter Syndrome?

By introducing the topic, justice is prepared to be served. What is imposter syndrome, first of all?

Impostor syndrome is the feeling that you are a fraud and that you are not as competent as people think you are. It is not a mental disorder that can be diagnosed, despite being a “syndrome.” Instead, the phrase is most often used to refer specifically to achievement and intelligence, while it also has associations with social environment and perfectionism. Imposter syndrome, to put it simply, is the sensation of being a fraud in some aspect of your life, notwithstanding any success, you may have had there. In the 1970s, psychologists Suzanna Imes and Pauline Rose Clance coined this phrase.
Imposter syndrome is characterized by self-doubt and a sense of fraudulence. High achievers are disproportionately affected because they struggle to accept their success. Many people ponder if they merit praise. There are now about 10,300,000 results for impostor syndrome searches on Google (0.59 seconds). I wonder if this is a global issue because it seems like human nature is once again engaged in a cold war.

Types of Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome can be broken down into five basic types:

• The Perfectionist. This type of imposter syndrome involves believing that, unless you were absolutely perfect, you could have done better. You feel like an imposter because your perfectionistic traits make you believe that you’re not as good as others might think you are.

• The Expert. The fact that the expert doesn’t know everything there is to know about a certain subject or issue or hasn’t mastered every stage in a process makes them feel like an imposter. They don’t feel as though they have attained the status of “expert” because they still have more to learn.

• The Natural Genius. In this imposter syndrome type, you may feel like a fraud simply because you don’t believe that you are naturally intelligent or competent. If you don’t get something right the first time around or it takes you longer to master a skill, you feel like an imposter.

• The Soloist. It’s also possible to feel like an imposter if you had to ask for help to reach a certain level or status. Since you couldn’t get there on your own, you question your competence or abilities.

• The Superperson. This type of imposter syndrome involves believing that you must be the hardest worker or reach the highest levels of achievement possible and, if you don’t, you are a fraud.

Characteristics of Imposter Syndrome

Let’s examine Imposter syndrome’s qualities because learning more about this illness will require you to look into one of its characteristics.

Some common characteristics of imposter syndrome include:

• An inability to realistically assess your competence and skills

• Attributing your success to external factors

• Berating your performance

• Fear that you won’t live up to expectations

• Overachieving

• Sabotaging your own success

• Self-doubt

• Setting very challenging goals and feeling disappointed when you fall short3

There is a lot to consider, but keeping it brief will make it easier to implement.

Examples of Imposter Syndrome

To better understand what imposter syndrome is, it might be helpful to see what it looks like in everyday life. Here are a few examples of what it’s like to experience imposter syndrome:

• Even though you’ve been in a particular position for a few months, you still feel unqualified when people address you by your official title because you haven’t yet mastered it.

• You’ve started your own business; however, you don’t like to promote yourself because you don’t have the same level of experience or expertise as others in your field, making you feel like a fraud.

• You’ve been nominated for an award, but you feel like an imposter at the recognition ceremony because you don’t feel that your achievements are good enough to warrant the nomination.

Signs of Imposter Syndrome

While impostor syndrome is not a recognized mental health disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), it is fairly common. It is estimated that 70% of people will experience at least one episode of this phenomenon at some point in their lives.3

If you wonder whether you might have imposter syndrome, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you agonize over even the smallest mistakes or flaws in your work?

• Do you attribute your success to luck or outside factors?

• Are you sensitive to even constructive criticism?

• Do you feel like you will inevitably be found out as a phony?

• Do you downplay your own expertise, even in areas where you are genuinely more skilled than others?

If you often find yourself feeling like you are a fraud or an imposter, it may be helpful to talk to a therapist. The negative thinking, self-doubt, and self-sabotage that often characterize imposter syndrome can affect many areas of your life.

Causes of Imposter Syndrome

In the initial research, scientists discovered that gender norms and early family dynamics were linked to imposter syndrome. 1 However, later studies have revealed that the phenomenon affects people of all ages, genders, and socioeconomic situations.

Family Upbringing

According to research, family relationships and upbringing may have a significant impact on imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome in children may be exacerbated by parenting practices that are particularly controlling or overprotective.

For example, you might have come from a family that highly valued achievement. Or you may have had parents who flipped back and forth between offering praise and being critical.

Studies also suggest that people who come from families that experienced high levels of conflict with low amounts of support may be more likely to experience imposter syndrome.5

This article incorporates information from the VeryWellMind platform to spread awareness of imposter syndrome.

This is Govawaya, an individual who is open-minded and who is revealing the solution to human problems.