Addressing Imposter Syndrome In Light Of Covid-19

Ever feel like a fraud? Like you're not good enough or have enormous emotions of dread, anxiety and insecurity that any minute you might be exposed? These thoughts are all part of a phenomenon known as Imposter Syndrome which unfortunately mostly occur in high achieving individuals.

Even famous women- from Hollywood superstars such as Charlize Theron and Viola Davis to business leaders such as Sheryl Sandberg and even former First Lady Michelle Obama and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor - have confessed to experiencing it. 

"I'm often made to feel invisible or that my contributions really didn't matter. I'm often told I am aggressive meanwhile have others talking over me and cutting me off. Or have had at times been told I am not confident, but my Asian upbringing and my cultural values are important to me. So which is it really?" says Vivian W. Huang, MD, MPH .

Vivian is an accomplished medical physician who has had some amazing experiences and have had the honor and privilege to work with Doctors Without Borders and assigned to Syria and Swaziland and have also worked in history's worst Ebola outbreak in 2015 with Partners In Health in Sierra Leone! 

So why do people experience Imposter Syndrome? What are the contributing factors to this phenomenon which was coined by two clinical psychologists, Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, back in 1978. 

• Perfectionism: Many individuals with imposter syndrome set unrealistically high standards and expectations for themselves. They believe that unless they are perfect, they are unworthy of their successes. 

 

• Comparisons: Social media and the constant exposure to the achievements of others have fueled feelings of inadequacy. People often compare their behind-the-scenes struggles with others' carefully curated success stories.

 

• Attribution Bias: When we succeed, we often attribute it to external factors, luck, or help from others. Conversely, when we fail, we blame ourselves. This skewed perception reinforces imposter syndrome.

 

• Historical Factors: Past experiences, such as childhood messages, biases, trauma or academic pressures especially among Asian communities, can contribute to imposter syndrome. Workplaces especially have exacerbated in fostering this phenomenon among women- systematic racism, classicism, xenophobia, questions regarding leadership style and more have unfairly contributed to it. 

The COVID-19 Connection 

The pandemic has greatly worsened imposter syndrome. The quick shift to remote work and the blurring of personal and professional boundaries have increased feelings of inadequacy. 

Isolation and Seclusion: The lack of in-person support and validation which everyone previously relied on was no longer there during the pandemic. Along with the lack of physical separation from coworkers, friends and family members due to lockdown worsened Imposter syndrome and feelings of loneliness and mental health exacerbated. 
 
For this reason, we have partnered with Anise Health to host a workshop on Addressing Imposter Syndrome in Light of COVID-19. Our Lunch and Learn Workshop takes place tomorrow, Friday, 29th September from 1PM to 2PM EST. Click Here to Register for the event or attend via Zoom Link here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84299286178

Dr.Sheetal Ajmani, our expert speaker is a life coach and founder of Radiant Living will unpack the causes of this phenomenon, review techniques to recognize and overcome it and explore potential solutions to combat it and feel a stronger sense of self-esteem! 

We look forward to seeing you at the workshop! 

By Ameena Qayyum
Communications Coordinator