Impostor syndrome can limit the professional growth and success of women due to gender stereotypes and cultural barriers that they must face throughout their life. Sometimes women apply for job positions and believe they are cheating their potential bosses and partners. In this sense, they feel the urgent need to demonstrate achievements, but at the same time guilty for believing that they do not meet expectations. Although this may be a psychological fear that runs through the vast majority of human beings, the main point lies in understanding when it starts to be a significant problem. There is a pathology linked to these ideas that needs to be explored in depth to dispel doubts that arise in this regard. If we stop to reflect on it, some questions arise.
In this Psychology-Online article we explain how imposter syndrome affects women.
Beyond the need to study each case in depth, one of the main reasons why the impostor syndrome affects women more than men is due to the upbringing they have received for much of life. Unlike women,
He imposter syndrome It is a mental pathology that is characterized by an insecurity related to the presentation before the world. This can include the work, family, social and/or love environment, since it can unfold in any situation of daily life. However, it is usually more common within a job since the image that the person offers to the outside is put into play there.
Although this may vary according to each case, there is a general idea that women have an internal mandate not to stand out in a shared environment. For this reason, difficulties may arise in accepting work challenges, achievements or objectives met, among others.
Although this idea may be a bit abstract, it is possible to envision situations in which the concept we are developing applies. Some examples of impostor syndrome in women include:
- emergence of Doubts about your own image that is projected outwards.
- Impossibility of establishing logical reasons that account for success in areas such as work, family, friendships and love.
- feel inferior in terms of capabilities compared to other people.
- Fear of negative qualities becoming visible that reflect the woman as an impostor.
Possessing these types of conditions is not something that has no effect on life. Here we show you what are the consequences of impostor syndrome in women:
- loss of motivation.
- Lack of interest in activities of daily living.
- Low self-esteem.
- Negative thoughts about your own person.
- Impossibility of enjoying achievements obtained.
- need for isolation.
Despite this description, it is important to have a diagnosis made by a mental health professional to corroborate the best possible treatment according to each case in particular.
Despite the complexities of this condition, there are approaches that improve the quality of life of women with impostor syndrome. In this section we show you the most effective resources to treat impostor syndrome in women:
psychological therapy
The consultations with a mental health professional specialized in the treatment of emotions, behaviors and thoughts that appear in situations punctual events are essential to understand how to put together strategies to deal with them in a more Enjoyable.
Among the most important brief psychological therapies are the cognitive behavioral therapy and systemic therapy. On the side of long-term therapies, psychoanalysis is positioned as the most effective alternative.
psychiatric medication
If the presence of the symptoms of impostor syndrome prevents the development of daily activities and risks appear, the supply of psychiatric drugs may be a necessary alternative. However, their intake should be supervised by a mental health professional.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
