impostor syndrome


impostor syndrome

An experience characterized by persistent feelings of inadequacy and incompetence despite one's training or accolades to the contrary. It is typically accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud. The term is attributed to clinical psychologists Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes. Despite the connotations of its name, "impostor syndrome" is not considered a mental illness. Despite having three degrees, I constantly worry that I will be exposed in the office as a fraud, so yeah, I guess you could say that I struggle with impostor syndrome.See also: syndrome