IT'S NOT A BL**DY SYNDROME!! Mythbusting the impostor phenomenon

A response to Nathalie Olah.

Anyone who knows of my work knows I have some considerable experience researching and educating on the impostor phenomenon. People often ask me why I call it that. 

Well, that’s what it is called. 

It’s not a syndrome. Despite the fact that most people will know the experience of ‘feeling like a phoney’ as imposter syndrome from social and popular media it’s just not the case. 

And so this brings me to an article by Nathalie Olah which appeared in The Guardian today which backs up much of what I’ve been saying for years, but is also not entirely correct on some matters, and downright ignorant on others. 

She's spot on to suggest that class structures and barriers are a key issue underpinning impostor experiences for many people, particularly those from a working class background (I know, I've lived this). But she's off the dial wrong to suggest that the experience is only pinned to experiences related to class.

So, let’s unpack some of the myths surrounding what has commonly, but erroneously been termed ‘imposter syndrome’.

Myth number one – it’s not a syndrome. 

Get that?? Stop calling it a syndrome. It’s not a syndrome. Did I make my point? It’s not a bloody syndrome!! So STOP CALLING IT A SYNDROME!!! Nathalie Olah is correct that 'imposter syndrome' is a pseudo-medical name. Because 'imposter syndrome' is actually not a 'thing' at all.

The original work by Clance and Imes in the 1970s called it a phenomenon for a reason. It’s a set of experiences that can be highly contextual. It is not a mental health condition, it is not necessarily a constant experience, it is not a personality trait. 

Myth number two – only women will experience this. 

Wrong. Jury is still out as much of the research is inconclusive on the relative gender split. This is probably because it’s contextual. Having said that, men and women are subject to different social structures, expectations and they will face different barriers or advantages and so the response to success, achievement, praise and failure will be different. This is complex but the fact remains, men and women can experience the impostor phenomenon.

Myth number three – its personal and exists only within the heads of those experiencing it. 

No. No. No. No and no. The antecedents and consequences of the impostor phenomenon are far reaching beyond the individual. As Nathalie Olah suggests, much of what underpins the experience is social learning and that’s firmly fixed within class, notions of gender, perceptions of race and other inter-sectionalities of ‘otherness’. It can be connected to social concerns such as under-representation of certain groups in boardrooms, in our governments and other institutions such as universities. Olah is correct to suggest that the structures we live and work within are somewhat responsible for the way people might react in certain circumstances, but those experiences are very real - and in some cases, debilitating.

Myth number four – everyone gets it. 

No they don’t. What most people will experience is self-doubt and that’s a different thing altogether. Self- doubt is almost universal at one point or another and probably quite useful. IP is neither of those things.

Myth number five – it’s a mental health condition. 

No it’s not. It is associated with anxiety, depression, burnout and persistent low mood – but it’s not a mental health condition in and of itself.

Myth number six – you have it or you don’t. 

Nup. Wrong again. IP exists on a continuum. Some people will only experience it in certain circumstances and others will experience it every day. It can be shrugged off by some and can be debilitating for others.

So, The Guardian article is correct on some points, it can be associated with social learning and structures that are related to class. But that’s not the whole story, and to make this argument diminishes the impact that this very real phenomenon has on a good many people. Sadly, even Nathalie Olah has subscribed to some of the myths peddled by the popular press.

Of course, you can always find a collection of well researched, evidence based material on my blog site www.forfakesake.org, and the website www.braverstrongersmarter.com if you'd like more information on the impostor phenomenon. Or contact me at [email protected].