Impostor Phenomenon

     Impostor Syndrome is a feeling where people believe that they are not as intelligent, competent, or knowledgable as they truly are. Individuals experiencing Impostor Syndrome often accredit their success to luck and have feelings of being a fraud. These individuals often feel a lack of confidence in their abilities to succeed. This phenomenon has affected over 70% of individuals at some point in their lives and careers. It is very common among individuals in the healthcare field as jobs in healthcare appeal to high-achieving personalities. 

    The Impostor Phenomenon is something that I am all too familiar with experiencing. I have a high-achieving personality that puts me at risk for feelings of Impostor Syndrome. My results from the Impostor Phenomenon Rating Scale indicate that I frequently have imposter feelings as I scored a 75. Common traits of individuals with Imposter Syndrome include: perfectionism, anxiety, doubt, shame, and fear of both failure and success. Personally, I have noticed all of these traits within myself especially during my schooling. These traits intensified when I began college as I became hyper-focused on succeeding to ultimately get accepted into occupational therapy school. Once I began OT school, these traits became even more prevalent in my life. During my time at UTHSC, my professors have repeatedly discussed this phenomenon and ways to combat these feelings. 

    When an individual is experiencing feelings of Impostor Syndrome, it is important to self-reflect. Self-reflection is a great way to "justify" one's personal success. For example, when you get an exceptional grade on an assignment but do not feel worthy of that grade, you can reflect back on the amount of time and effort put into that assignment. This practice will allow you to become more confident in your work and success. It is important for people with Imposter Syndrome to practice receiving praise and compliments as this can be difficult. Engaging in a mentorship program also helps combat feelings of Impostor Syndrome as a mentor could provide constructive feedback and praise in your successes. 

    It is important for individuals with feelings of Impostor Syndrome to find ways to release their perfectionism. Perfectionism causes one to feel a lack of confidence due to their overly high expectations. To release this perfectionism, it is important to reframe your thinking. By changing your thinking to more positive thoughts, you can become more confident in yourself and your abilities. Also, creating a healthy work-life balance will help relieve feelings of perfectionism. Prioritizing activities you enjoy in addition to your work will relieve stress and anxiety. Finally, engaging in mindfulness can combat feelings of perfectionism that are associated with Imposter Syndrome. Being more mindful will help relieve stress and anxiety and increase positivity within one's life. 

Albanese, S. (2019). Facing imposter syndrome as a new grad. Eyes on Eye Care. https://eyesoneyecare.com/resources/facing-impostor-syndrome-new-grad/

Lancaster, S. (2017). Imposter Phenomenon (No. 7). [Audio podcast episode]. In On the Air. http://www.ontheair.us/podcast1/episode-7-impostor-phenomenon