Imposter Syndrome isn’t a mental health diagnosis. But ignore it, and it can become one.
I often see people saying that Imposter Syndrome isn’t a mental health issue, so it’s fine for line managers and others without specialist training to help colleagues with it.
But what does the research really say? And how can you tell when someone needs more than just a quick chat or a well-meaning pep talk?
Let’s start here:
Imposter Syndrome Is Not A 'Syndrome'.
It’s not something that’s diagnosable by a medical practitioner. In the UK, it’s not classified as an official mental health issue, though it can create and exacerbate mental health problems. The backlash against the word ‘syndrome’, seeing it as an attempt to medicalise Imposter Syndrome, misses the point: the modern, common usage simply describes a pattern of behaviour or experience, rather than something that only a doctor can fix.
But just because it’s not officially recognised as a mental health diagnosis doesn’t mean it’s safe to assume everyone can help someone else to clear it.
Imposter Syndrome can have a huge impact on mental health, physical health, and emotional wellbeing:
The chronic worrying, catastrophising, and negative self-talk it drives can lead to anxiety and even depression.
The coping strategies people rely on, including the 4 Ps Of Imposter Syndrome (Perfectionism, Procrastination, Project Paralysis and People-Pleasing) are survival strategies – ways to feel safe when they secretly fear being found out. And left unsupported, they can tip someone from struggling into crisis.
And our research shows that for many the underlying cause of Imposter Syndrome is trauma, so the link between Imposter Syndrome and the potential for mental health impacts is clear.
My definition of Imposter Syndrome?
The secret fear of people finding out that you’re not good enough, despite outside-world evidence that you are.
And then there’s the lightbulb definition – the one that makes people stop in their tracks:
Imposter Syndrome is the secret fear of others judging us the way we judge ourselves.
This is what drives people to try to hide how they’re feeling. They push on through Imposter Syndrome, regardless of the personal or professional cost. That's not heroic, it's harmful. They get stuck in the fight-flight-freeze-fawn mode. The stress response that is designed to last minutes ends up running for months. And the elevated stress hormone levels this causes (cortisol and adrenaline) create burnout.
Our research shows this isn’t rare. 62% of your colleagues experience Imposter Syndrome daily or regularly, to an extent that is impacting their performance and wellbeing. And then there's a shocking figure:
1 in 10.
That’s the number of people in your team who have considered quitting their job, today, because of Imposter Syndrome. And yesterday. And tomorrow. Every single day.
But it’s never listed as the reason in the exit interview.
That’s what happened to me, back in 2001. I quit the engineering career I loved, due to Imposter Syndrome. And I didn’t even know back then that it had a name.
One of the other early warning signs that Imposter Syndrome is rife in your organisation is a rise in stress-related absenteeism and sabbatical requests. These are often happening because people can no longer cope with how Imposter Syndrome is making them feel. And often by the time they quit or go long-term absent, their experience has crossed the line into a mental health problem.
We need to remove the taboo.
When someone has no one they feel safe talking to about Imposter Syndrome, as is the case in the vast majority of organisations, they internalise it. That’s when it starts to cause serious damage.
If they go to their GP, the most common responses are being signed off sick with stress, prescribed antidepressants, or placed on a months-long waiting list for talking therapy. None of those address the underlying Imposter Syndrome that has been driving their experience.
This is why every manager needs training – not to become an 'accidental therapist', but to be able to spot the early warning signs and help break the taboo. Asking for help with Imposter Syndrome needs to be as acceptable and safe as asking for help with Excel.
It’s about knowing how to spot what’s going on beneath the surface – and how to support someone to take that first step towards getting the help they need.
Coaching Imposter Syndrome - Read It Free
This week I published my tenth book - Coaching Imposter Syndrome.
It's for line managers, HR professionals, leaders, coaches, mentors and Mental Health First-Aiders who want to know what to do - safely and effectively - when Imposter Syndrome gate-crashes their 1:1 conversations.
No fluff. No filler. It’s straight-talking, research-backed, inspirational insights, and actionable strategies. It gives you the what, the why and even step-by-step for the how.
And having your key team members read it (or listen to it) could save someone in your team from burning out, quitting, or worse, today.
And if you're ready to go further, the real shift happens when you grow expertise in-house.
Imposter Syndrome Practitioners™
Had there been anyone in my 100,000+ organisation back in 2001 that I could have had an informed conversation with about Imposter Syndrome, I'd probably still be an engineer. But there wasn't.
It's why I developed training for organisations to be able to offer that urgently needed support.
We can train people to become certified Imposter Syndrome Practitioners™ and even Master Coaches, so they can support colleagues to clear Imposter Syndrome before things escalate. Before burnout. Before resignation. Before crisis. They become a trusted resource inside your culture – equipped to help people to go beyond 'tea and sympathy' or yet more coping strategies, to help people set themselves free from Imposter Syndrome, once and for all.
This connection between Imposter Syndrome and mental health is one of the reasons why I'm currently studying for a Master’s in the Neuroscience and Psychology of Mental Health. The evidence that clearing Imposter Syndrome contributes to mental health issues in the workplace is unignorable.
Time For Action:
I invite you to share the link for Coaching Imposter Syndrome to all of your managers, HR team members, Mental Health First-Aiders, in-house coaches, and leadership team, today.
Because no one should feel they have to leave a job or a career they love, just to feel ok again.
Get Coaching Imposter Syndrome today.
Clare Josa is a global authority in Imposter Syndrome. Her work is cited in PhDs and taught on MBAs, and over the past 20 years it has helped many thousands to break free from Imposter Syndrome, once and for all.
She is renowned for demystifying this complex subject, and teaching actionable, science-backed strategies that inspire breakthroughs in minutes, not months.
She trains coaches up to Imposter Syndrome Master Coach™ level and is the creator of the Imposter Syndrome Hacks™ app (the world's first) and AskClare.ai™ – your 24/7 Imposter Syndrome Mentor In Your Pocket™.