What is Imposter Syndrome?

Why do so many people now feel they have Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter Syndrome (IS) was not something I heard from the clients I was supporting with anxiety 10 years ago.  20 years ago I can’t remember hearing the term at all.

Now IS is a term that is being commonly used to suggest feelings of fraudulence – not being worthy of doing what you are doing.  It is used as an umbrella term to cover a multitude of negative feelings.   It is a term however that I believe is being used too liberally.

Feelings of low self esteem, low confidence, comparison leading to finding yourself inferior….are all now falling under that one broad umbrella.

However these feelings are ones that most people will experience at some time but we don’t all have a syndrome.  Negative thoughts are normal – the ‘suffering’ arises when you try to ignore them.

Rather than use the term Imposter Syndrome, I prefer to use the term shadow self.

This term was first coined by Carl Jung, a Swiss Psychiatrist who worked with Sigmund Freud in the early 20^th century.  The term was analogous as our shadows cannot be separated from ourselves – we can’t run away from them.  And we only see them when we shine a light on them.

And this is the foundation of starting to change the relationship with IS – recognise thoughts are a part of you and shine a light on them.

But because we dont want to see them, we keep them in the dark.  This takes energy.  And what we can’t see, the unknown, can quickly give rise to anxiety.

And this is why Imposter Syndrome is now being seen as something that is very negative.

So what can you do to change your relationship with it?

It is time to stop fighting it and start embracing it.  As soon as you enter a fight, there is a winner and a loser, attacker and victim.

Jung proposed that you see the shadow as a sparing partner – the opponent within us that exposes our flaws and sharpens our skills.

By turning to face the thought, you are changing your relationship with it – taking back some power.  You may not like what you see but you are now in a position to do something about it – you are taking control.

Our history is the sum of the stories we recall – and rarely are they an accurate reflection of what actually happened.

You can recall a time when you failed or reflect on when you felt insecure.  They are all from a time in the past where the situation would not be identical to now.  That was then, this is now!

You can tell yourself that you are not worthy – it is a story that is as true telling yourself that you are amazing.

By changing what we reflect on such as remembering a time when you felt confident, or recalling a time of success, your past is still a story that you are telling yourself – so make it a good story!

IS typically arises from comparison with someone else and finding yourself lacking – even if the ‘someone’ is unknown.

When we compare, that natural inclination is to look for the differences.  So start to look for the similarities.

This is a practice called ‘chunking up’ and is commonly used my mediators and is a technique that was used by George Bush and Gorbachov which is attributed to starting the downfall of the Iron Curtain.

When you can start to see what you share with the person you feel less inferior.

Whilst Imposter Syndrome is a diagnosable condition that requires specialist support, the term should be separated from the natural feelings of low self esteem and lacking confidence.  And instead with some simple changes in the way you address the thoughts, the ‘imposter’ just like the shadow boxer, can be someone who can help you address your weaknesses and become stronger.

If you would like support in exploring this term more, please get in touch.

Caroline Cavanagh, the Anxiety Alchemist, is an anxiety specialist  and hypnotherapist in Salisbury, Wiltshire.  She is an author and professional speaker and would love to talk to you if you would like to know more about her work