Do you always feel that you don't deserve the accomplishments you have achieved? Or maybe that you succeeded or achieved what you wanted only by fluke or luck and not by hard work? You are not alone. You belong to 70 percent of the population suffering from the Impostor syndrome. Impostor syndrome or Impostor phenomenon is a psychological condition wherein you feel like you don't belong anywhere and that whatever you have achieved is not due to your hard work and you don't really deserve your job. You stay under a constant fear that the people around you might soon discover that you are a fraud.

Imposter Syndrome- Its Background

Someone suffering from impostor syndrome remains in constant denial about the real reason behind his or her success; the person believes that he or she has only succeeded because of sheer luck and not because of talent or qualifications. It was first identified in the year 1978 by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes. However, according to their research paper, women are uniquely affected by impostor syndrome. But soon, Clance published a paper acknowledging that it is not only women who suffer from Imposter syndrome.

Possible Causes

Unfortunately, there aren't any defined causes behind the imposter syndrome. but researchers believe that a person's past, especially their academic years, has a role to play. Constant criticism from family or other people around you could infuse a feeling of never being good enough in your mind. Discrimination or being in the minority,  like women in the male-dominated occupational environment, could be one such example. Discrimination just adds to the burden.

Signs that you are suffering from Imposter syndrome:

  1. You cannot accept praise: Anyone who praises you will seem like a liar or someone who is doing it with a possible selfish intention or to mock them.

  2. You overwork as a form of overcompensation: Since you always feel that you aren't enough you tend to overwork and put in efforts in a task even when it good enough.

  3. You think being the best is a compulsion: You see even the smallest issues or mistakes as big failures and beat yourself to believe that you are not worth anything.

  4. You are often described as a perfectionist: Often you are deemed to be a perfectionist because of your overcompensating attitude.

  5. You are scared of showing confidence: You think you will be unveiled as a fraud if you show confidence because you actually lack the talent even when you don't.

  6. You have convinced yourself that you aren't enough: You have concluded that you aren't worthy enough and that no success is your own. No amount of praise helps in this case.

Do you relate to any of this? You must not hesitate from taking a professional help. In India people have always considered it to be a taboo to visit a psychiatrist and opt for therapy, it is only quite lately that things are changing. If you see someone around you who you think needs or is already taking therapy, support them!

(References:  Perceived Fraudulence in Young Adults: Is There an'Imposter Syndrome'?;  Leadership, risk and the imposter syndrome;  When you feel like you’re faking it; The imposter syndrome)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 21, 2018 03:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).