IMPOSTER SYNDROME: THE FEAR OF NOT BEING UP TO PAR

In 1978, two psychologists, Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, coined the term the impostor syndrome, or the impostor phenomenon, known in Italy as the impostor syndrome. Although it is not part of the mental disorders classified in the authoritative DMS, or in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the impostor syndrome is still a mental condition that afflicts more and more people in modern society in recent years. It consists in never feeling up to it and thinking of not deserving the successes obtained, diminishing them and trying to attribute them to external factors rather than to his own skill, ability and determination.

The classic phrase "mine was just a stroke of luck" can hide much more than a trivial case of trivialization of merit and this explains the reason for the term "impostor". In fact, it is usually defined in this way as an individual who pretends to be and to know more than he really is and knows. Despite this, those suffering from this syndrome have a complete lack of self-confidence and live constantly in anxiety for the fear of being discovered of their lack of skills and skill. In reality, that same person has worked with constancy, commitment and has all the credentials to have achieved that result.

Not being a real pathology, there are no specific treatments, but there are symptoms to recognize and remedies to be implemented that we explain in this article. Since it is a mental condition that mainly concerns the sphere of self-esteem, these exercises can be a good way to start increasing it:

Symptoms of "impostor syndrome

To understand if you suffer from the impostor syndrome, a self-analysis is also sufficient, which consists in asking oneself apparently simple questions about the different achievements and acknowledgments obtained in the course of life and trying to decipher the answers. These questions can be many, such as "what do you think when you are successful in something?" or "how do you feel when you receive constructive criticism?". This procedure can be done both mentally and in writing, because, in both cases, it will lead to the same response. In fact, those who suffer from "impostor phenomenon tends to respond in a negative way every time and not in a pessimistic sense.

So, if the common denominator of your answers are the continuous belittling of your successes, the constant questioning of your every talent, the inability to recognize constructive criticism and a perennial fear of making mistakes and not being up to par, then the explanation of your discomfort may be precisely that of the impostor syndrome. Normally, those who suffer from it are inclined to trace all their successes to chance and luck, fearing every day of not being ready enough, prepared and distressed by the fear of making mistakes .

Finally, another symptom is that you believe you are deceiving other people. A person afflicted with Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes syndrome fears that others will discover that she is a "cheater and that she has fooled everyone into believing that she has certain qualities and is up to it." For all this, the "impostor syndrome it should not be underestimated because it can seriously affect an individual's work and mental state. It seems that in recent years it is more women who suffer from it, especially those who work in purely male environments and who feel very often under pressure.

The remedies: "learning to deserve"

More often than not, reassurances from other people are not enough to mitigate the inner conflict and insecurity of those suffering from the impostor syndrome. To calm the symptoms and get out of them, it is necessary to do a work on oneself, starting first from one's self-esteem and some character traits. First of all, those who are constantly committed have a very high sense of perfectionism and a "self-criticism. These two characteristics are very important in life to obtain results but they must not be overwhelmed. In fact, always wanting to perfect everything and excessive self-criticism lead to a diminution of one's own abilities. Admitting not to be perfect and not even wanting to become it is the first step to take: any human being grows and learns new things every day, no one is the repository of universal knowledge.

Furthermore, small mistakes are not to be feared: it happens to anyone that mistakes are made. The important thing is to know how to recognize it, draw a lesson from what happened and move on. Looking at mistakes and failures from another perspective is another small and essential one step: if this happens to you, do not get discouraged by insecurity, but put everything in a positive light and feel more at the height if such a situation were to repeat itself in the course of life.

Then, another "step to get out of"impostor syndrome it consists in always keeping in mind one's own qualities. To do this, first consider each time you have "triumphed in something", all your goals and successes achieved and note what skills it took to get there. Nobody can take that credit away from you: you did it thanks to your efforts, thanks to yourself and you deserve it all. A good way to get rid of fear and guilt is to start accepting compliments: never again answer "mine was just luck" or "it went well". If someone compliments, say thank you and try to internalize their words.

Finally, talk about what you feel and how you feel with the people you trust most or, if you prefer an external opinion, to a professional. To combat insecurity, try to help those in difficulty: this it's a great system because it will not only show you your skills but also make you feel useful for someone else.

The other side of the coin: the Dunning-Kruger effect

After the discovery of the "impostor syndrome", David Dunning, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, and Justin Kruger, a teacher at the New York University Stern School of Business, identified a mental condition believed to mirror the "impostor phenomenon, or the so-called Dunning-Kruger effect. It is a situation that sees individuals who are inexperienced or, bluntly, decidedly incompetent, who attribute to themselves merits and skills that in reality they do not really have. They also fail to see the gap that separates them from truly gifted and capable people. Thus, they constantly tend to overestimate their performance.

It must be said that those who suffer from the Dunning-Kruger effect do not voluntarily lie about their talents, but are really unable to recognize their own shortcomings, limitations and errors. However, this disorder is considered the other side of the coin of the impostor syndrome because , in both cases, afflicted people do not know how to come to terms with the mistakes made, much less question themselves.