Imposter Syndrome and Anxiety

By the clinical team at Next Step Psychiatry • Lilburn, GA

The Secret Most Successful People Share

You got the promotion, the degree, the recognition—but instead of feeling proud, you feel terrified. A quiet voice whispers: “You don’t actually deserve this. You got lucky. Any day now, everyone will figure out you have no idea what you’re doing.”

This is imposter syndrome, and it affects an estimated 70% of people at some point in their lives. First identified by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978, imposter syndrome describes a persistent pattern of doubting your accomplishments and fearing exposure as a “fraud” despite evidence of competence.

The Anxiety Connection

Imposter syndrome and anxiety are deeply intertwined. The fear of being “found out” triggers the same physiological stress response as any other anxiety: racing heart, sweating, digestive upset, and sleep disruption. Over time, imposter syndrome can develop into or worsen generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and high-functioning anxiety.

The cycle is self-reinforcing: anxiety drives overpreparation and overwork to “prove” you belong, which leads to success, which you then attribute to the overwork rather than your abilities—confirming the belief that you’re a fraud.

Who Gets Imposter Syndrome?

While anyone can experience imposter syndrome, research shows it disproportionately affects high achievers and perfectionists, first-generation college students and professionals, women and minorities in male-dominated or predominantly white fields, people transitioning to new roles (new job, graduate school, parenthood), and individuals who grew up in families that emphasized achievement or were emotionally invalidating.

Strategies That Help

Overcoming imposter syndrome requires both cognitive shifts and behavioral changes.

• Keep an evidence file: Document positive feedback, accomplishments, and compliments. Review it when doubt creeps in.
• Reframe failure: Mistakes prove you’re trying, not that you’re incompetent. Everyone who succeeds has also failed.
• Talk about it: Sharing imposter feelings with trusted peers almost always reveals that they feel the same way.
• Accept “good enough”: Perfectionism fuels imposter syndrome. Practice submitting work that’s 80% as good as you’d like.
• Separate feelings from facts: Feeling like a fraud doesn’t make you one. Emotions are not evidence.

When Imposter Syndrome Needs Professional Help

If imposter syndrome is causing significant anxiety, preventing you from pursuing opportunities, or contributing to depression, it’s worth discussing with a mental health professional. CBT is particularly effective because it directly targets the distorted thinking patterns that drive imposter syndrome. Medication may also help if underlying anxiety or depression is present.

At Next Step Psychiatry, we frequently work with high-achieving patients whose anxiety manifests as imposter syndrome. You don’t have to earn the right to feel confident.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 911 or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.