Does it ever happen to you to be in a room full of amazing people and you feel like you do not belong there? Like you might be a fraud or an impostor? Well, welcome to the club! We have all been there, feeling like we are hiding behind a curtain of fake accomplishments and once someone pulls it, we will be revealed. This phenomenon is known as impostor syndrome. Around 70% of people out of the total population go through it at least once in their lives. It happens to people masked in different ways. In this blog, we will be discussing the five types of impostor syndrome, ensuring you understand your true worth and begin to stop invalidating yourself and your achievements by the end of it.
1. The Perfectionist
Many people might relate to this one; the first type is “the perfectionist”. They might feel like they are not good enough until they become a pro at every task they perform. Perfectionists set near-impossible standards for themselves and experience anxiety even at the smallest mistakes. This phenomenon occurs when people think that anything below perfect is unacceptable, which then leads them to question their worth, making them feel like a fraud or impostor in their own field.
Connection to Low Self-Esteem
Chasing perfection often leads to low self-esteem because of the belief that being below perfect is unacceptable. You might begin to question your achievements and invalidate what you have won over time.
Read more about low self-esteem in the blog here: Signs of Low Self-Esteem
Impact: Perfectionists are always in pursuit of something impossible to achieve. They end up failing and when they do, they feel so unworthy that they get those impostor feelings that they aren’t good enough.
2. The Superwoman/Superman
Next up is “the Superman/Superwoman” Such people believe that they must work extremely hard to prove that they are not frauds; they go above and beyond limits and believe in overachieving only to bring peace to their minds, to satisfy their thoughts that set unrealistic goals for them.
Link to Neurodivergence
This type of impostor syndrome is common among neurodiverse individuals, especially those with ADHD, as people with ADHD commonly feel that they have to overachieve or do more to compensate for their struggles. They live with a constant fear of being perceived as unworthy or less capable because of their condition, which leads them to do more all the time.
Read in-depth about the link between ADHD and Impostor syndrome here: Connection Between ADHD and Imposter Syndrome
Impact: Even with all the hard work and efforts they pour in, people with the superman/superwoman impostor syndrome feel like they haven’t done enough, which leads to constant stress. This feeling causes mental burnout in them and gives birth to the belief that they are only succeeding because they are overcompensating.
3. The Natural Genius
Then comes “the natural genius” They believe that they should be doing all their tasks naturally without any effort or struggle, and if they struggle to perform, learn or achieve something, they feel like frauds. This mindset leads natural genius impostors to stop doing tasks that require them to work hard or struggle because they put hard work at the same place as inadequacy.
Impact: The natural genius gets worked up if they do not achieve their goals on the first try. Therefore, they avoid taking new opportunities for fear that they are fake and that such thoughts limit their true potential.
4. The Soloist
Then there is “the soloist” as the name indicates; they do not believe in relying upon others for help; they think that if they do ask for help, they will be exposed as impostors, as people might think that they don’t know what they are doing.
Soloists believe that they should only accomplish everything on their own, as they don’t want to be seen as incompetent or dependent.
Impact: Soloists are always overworked since they proudly avoid seeking assistance from other people. This isolation not only augments stress levels but also contributes to their feeling of being an imposter because they have nobody they can confide in.
5. The Expert
Last but not least is “The Expert” These people feel like frauds in their fields if they do not know every single detail about everything; they think that knowing less would make them a fraud people would perceive them as incompetent or an impostor. They hate lack of knowledge and overwork themselves to not be seen as a fraud.
Connection to People-Pleasing
The expert impostor syndrome gives people pleasing to take up space in their personality, they get the urge to prove themselves to everyone that they know everything about everyone. They want others to accept them, and that can only happen if they are the “experts”.
Impact: Experts are never satisfied with their level of knowledge. They are always chasing more information, believing that once they know enough, they’ll stop feeling like impostors. Unfortunately, this endless pursuit of expertise only perpetuates their feelings of inadequacy.
How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome
Identifying the common types of impostor syndrome is the first step in the process. To overcome it, one needs to analyze oneself, redesign negative patterns of thinking, and turn to others for help. Here are a few strategies on how to help someone with imposter syndrome:
Recognize and Acknowledge the Feelings: Knowing that such emotions are normal and not evidence of fake personality is the first step towards overcoming the syndrome.
Reframe Negative Thoughts: The process of reframing negative thoughts can look different depending on the person, but the first step is to challenge the negative views about yourself and explore other ways to perceive the same situation that promotes self-compassion.
Seek Support: At times therapy, counselling or just having people around you to support you can make a whole lot of difference. Neurodivergent people can benefit from self-help communities because they erase the feeling of alienation or inferiority.
In Summary
The opposite of impostor syndrome is confidence—feeling secure in your abilities and worth without needing external validation. While impostor syndrome can be particularly prevalent among neurodivergent individuals, recognizing the five types of impostor syndrome is the first step toward overcoming it.
At Luna Psychotherapy
If you or someone you know struggles with impostor syndrome, there are steps you can take to reclaim your self-worth. Therapy can help identify and challenge these impostor thoughts. At Luna Psychotherapy, Natalia, our certified psychotherapist, provides a supportive and compassionate environment to explore issues like impostor syndrome and low self-esteem. Don’t let impostor syndrome hold you back—reach out today to start your journey toward self-acceptance.
Comments