Impostor syndrome (also known as
impostor phenomenon,
impostorism,
fraud syndrome or the
impostor experience) is a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their skills, talents or accomplishments and has a persistent
internalized fear of being exposed as a "fraud".
[1] Despite external evidence of their competence, those experiencing this
phenomenon remain convinced that they are
frauds, and do not deserve all they have achieved. Individuals with impostorism incorrectly attribute their success to
luck, or interpret it as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more
intelligent than they perceive themselves to be.
[2] While early research focused on the prevalence among high-achieving women, impostor syndrome has been recognized to affect both men and women equally.
[1][3]
Impostor syndrome also occurs in the context of mental illness and its treatment. Certain individuals may see themselves as less ill (less depressed, less anxious) than their peers or other mentally ill people, citing their lack of severe symptoms as the indication of no or a minor underlying issue. People with this form do not seek help for their issues, seeing their problems as not worthy of psychiatric attention.
[4][5]