How Does Impostor Syndrome Affect You?

Have you found a good way to describe it to people who just don't get it?

Impostor syndrome can rear its head in a lot of different ways.

Natalya Lobanova / BuzzFeed

People who experience impostor syndrome – or impostor phenomenon – tend to be successful by external standards, but somehow can't see that themselves, or think their success is down to a fluke. You can take a test here to see how high you rate on the Impostor Phenomenon scale, created by Pauline Clance, one of the psychologists who first described the concept.

It can be hard to get other people who don't experience it to understand how it really feels.

Academia Obscura @AcademiaObscura

This cat as a metaphor for imposter syndrome.

02:15 PM - 11 Mar 2017

Does your impostor syndrome make you think that, even though you get good feedback, your boss is going to "find you out" at any moment?

Pixar

Or does it make you think that your achievements in school are down to pure luck and not your actual ability?

koboldashi badtzmaru @HapaxLegoman

impostor syndrome is real

12:23 PM - 20 Oct 2015

Instagram: @lilothehusky

Do you feel like, even though you've passed every exam so far with flying colours, you're bound to fail the next one?

Kristin Chirico / BuzzFeed

Tell us how impostor syndrome affects your life, and what you wish other people knew about. Share your response below and you could be featured in a future BuzzFeed Community post or video.

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