Imposter syndrome

Hi everyone! We are the Education Committee of Active Minds, and today we are going to be talking about Impostor Syndrome! We will be including symptoms, common misconceptions, and how you can cope with Impostor Syndrome (IS). With this blog, we hope the topic of Impostor Syndrome will be better known, and those struggling with IS will know that they are not alone. Thank you for reading, and we hope you learn something new! What is Impostor Syndrome??? Impostor Syndrome is defined as a persistent doubt regarding one’s abilities or accomplishments. IS also encompasses thoughts of being a “fraud” despite accomplishments, and feeling as though one’s success isn’t deserved. What is Impostor Syndrome NOT: Some common misconceptions about Impostor Syndrome (IS) include: IS being a permanent part of you only categorized as having “low self-confidence” Impostor Syndrome only affects one’s work life Am I the Impostor? Now we know what Impostor Syndrome is, as well as some common misconceptions. But what does Impostor Syndrome look like? Impostor Syndrome can manifest itself in so many ways, spanning across school, work, our personal lives, and more. Impostor Syndrome may also look different for everyone!! Some common “symptoms” include: questioning one's achievements having a fear of making mistakes setting unrealistic high standards for oneself and constantly comparing oneself to others. Is there something wrong with me if I have Impostor Syndrome? No! Impostor Syndrome is actually very common, especially in academic institutions! According to the American Psychological Association, 82% of people experience feelings of Impostor Syndrome. In fact, Impostor Syndrome isn’t even considered a clinical diagnosis; therefore, it is not even a syndrome at all! It is actually classified as a phenomenon, which is “an observable fact or event”. The feelings that make up the Impostor phenomenon stem from feeling like you belong or the fear of not being accepted. However, everyone feels these insecurities at varying degrees at different points in their life. It is important to remember that you are not the only one feeling out of place. Chances are someone sitting right next to you is feeling the same way or has felt the same way before. You are not alone! How does Impostor Syndrome affect students’ academic and social life? Does Impostor Syndrome affect everyone the same? Impostor Syndrome can negatively affect both mental health and academic success.. While it can be helpful to acknowledge our weaknesses to prompt growing opportunities, when we focus too intensely on them, it can create a self-fulfilling prophecy (a prediction that causes something to come true) that negatively impacts academic performance. In many research studies, findings show Impostor Syndrome is linked with chronic stress, burnout, depression, and anxiety. These findings are especially found within competitive academic settings. With UCLA being a competitive academic institution, Impostor Syndrome can be really prominent among our students. Impostor Syndrome may also have greater effects on some people than others. In a study from the National Library of Medicine, Impostor Syndrome among medical students was significantly more associated with female medical students than with male medical students. It must be noted that the Impostor “Syndrome” has a unique and intersectional impact on marginalized groups that have yet to be fully researched and explored academically. As Kevin Cokley et al. NIH article states, “Scholars have also found IP [Impostor Phenomenon] to be associated with several other sociocultural factors that are salient in the lives of historically marginalized population” (Cokley et.al 2025). This includes but is not limited to the experiences of racial and ethnic minorities, and initial intersectional research on IP/ IS finds that “women of color may be more susceptible to IP because of ‘stereotyped racial role expectations and oppression” (Cokley et.al 2025). Additionally, a personal account from the Los Angeles Times expresses how “There is a demographic which overwhelmingly has issues within these family dynamics and consequently feels Impostor syndrome at much higher rates. These are first-generation and low-income students, or FGLI for short. From having immigrant parents or immigrating to the United States to being the first to attend college in our families with little to no guidance, students like us tend to suffer from feelings of self-doubt and depression from Impostor syndrome.” The takeaway here is that despite the potential harmful effects of Impostor Syndrome, some sociocultural factors inevitably predispose some individuals to experiencing feelings of inadequacy when comparing themselves to others, attempting to meet unrealistic standards for themselves, and other IS “symptoms”. So– if it is NOT your fault… what can you do about it??? What are some ways to cope with Impostor Syndrome? Because Impostor Syndrome can manifest itself in many ways, and it affects people differently, there is no “right way” to combat it. However, the APA and the McLean Psychiatric Hospital have really helpful recommendations to aid in coping with IS. Some recommendations include: learning the facts, sharing your feelings, celebrating your successes, sharing your failures, and more! Learn the facts- when it comes to your success, it is important to know that you were the one who achieved that, not by some external factor. Share your feelings- especially with underrepresented identities, it can be beneficial to connect with “empowering spaces and communities, which can provide support and, more important, validation and empathy for navigating Impostor phenomenon in oppressive systems” Celebrate your successes- it is also important to look at how you respond to praise and talk about yourself. Accepting praise and having positive self-talk are key tips in trying to celebrate your success. Sharing your failures- Sharing your failures is an important part of reframing your surroundings. It can help to create a more realistic view of what everyone else struggles with too. “One way my friends and I deal with Impostor Syndrome is to try positive self-talk- but more importantly, try correcting each other's negative self-talk. When we call out each other's behavior, we hold each other accountable and make changes towards more positive self-talk. Since starting this with my friends, it has become easier to think positively and combat my own Impostor Syndrome.” Personal account from Active Minds’ Education Director, Emily B. We can also try to recognize our thoughts and feelings earlier to try and combat it. This may help reduce the toll that Impostor Syndrome takes on your mental health. This can include hosting and attending workshops that showcase others' experiences, in order to reduce the pressure of perfection. Especially with high-achieving students, it can be important to reframe our success to include our effort we put into our projects, so we are able to better our physical and mental well-being. Impostor syndrome is a common phenomenon that affects OVER 80% OF PEOPLE, especially those in academic institutions. It is really important to reflect on yourself, including your behaviors, thoughts, and feelings, to determine if Impostor Syndrome is something you may also be experiencing. Please remember that you're not alone in your struggles, and it's important to talk about your struggles with friends, family, and other trusted individuals. We hope you learned something new and are able to take this information with you wherever you go. 
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I used to think I was just really bad at dealing with life. I’d look around and see everyone else at UCLA juggling classes, clubs, jobs — and somehow still managing to smile through it. Meanwhile, I was struggling just to get out of bed some mornings. I didn’t have the words for it at the time, but looking back, it was anxiety and burnout. I kept telling myself to push through, to work harder, to stop being so “dramatic.” But it just kept getting worse. I felt alone, even in a crowded lecture hall. I felt like I had to keep it all together, because everyone else seemed to be doing just fine. It wasn’t until I opened up to a friend — kind of by accident, honestly — that I realized I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. They told me they’d been going through something similar. That one conversation was a turning point for me. It made me feel less broken. Less alone. Since then, I’ve started talking more openly about mental health. It’s still scary sometimes, but I’ve realized how powerful it is to just say, “Hey, I’m struggling.” And even more powerful? Hearing someone respond with, “Me too.” So if you’re reading this and things feel heavy — just know you’re not alone. Seriously. You’re not the only one feeling overwhelmed or anxious or stuck. And talking about it doesn’t make you weak. It makes you brave. When you feel down know we are all going through it.