Imposter syndrome is the persistent belief that you are less competent than others think you are — and that your success comes down to luck. It is not a formal diagnosis, but it is remarkably common: research reviews suggest up to 82% of people experience imposter feelings at some point, and those feelings usually travel with anxiety. When the self-doubt and the worry start feeding each other — before presentations, new jobs, or exams — that loop is something anxiety counselling can help untangle.
Last updated: August 2026 · Written by Christopher Hein, Co-Founder, Trillium Counselling
Imposter syndrome — psychologists call it the impostor phenomenon — is the internal experience of believing you're a fraud despite clear evidence you're not. It was first described in the 1970s by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, who noticed that many high achievers couldn't internalize their own success: the degree, the promotion, the praise all got filed under luck, good timing, or having somehow fooled everyone (APA). It isn't an official diagnosis in the DSM-5, but it's a very real and specific form of self-doubt — and it tends to show up loudest when you're starting something new: first year of university, first real job, a bigger role than you've held before.
That's also when many people first reach out for support. At Trillium Counselling, our therapists work with this pattern all the time — you can meet some of our team on our anxiety counselling page.
Anxiety is your body's built-in alarm system — a surge of alertness before a deadline, a presentation, or a big transition. In the right dose, it sharpens you. Imposter syndrome gives that alarm something to ring about: if part of you believes you're a fraud, then every meeting, exam, and performance review becomes a chance to be found out.
That's the loop. The imposter belief ("I don't really belong here") creates a fear of exposure, the fear fuels anxiety — racing heart, tight shoulders, spinning thoughts at 2 a.m. — and the anxiety pushes you to over-prepare or avoid. When things go fine, the credit goes to the extra effort or the dodge, never to you. The belief survives another day, and the loop tightens. The research backs up how tightly the two travel together: in a 2025 study of 504 undergraduates, students with imposter syndrome had nearly three times the odds of significant anxiety symptoms compared to their peers (Behavioral Sciences).
Imposter syndrome rarely announces itself. It hides inside habits that look like diligence — or like modesty. Here's what to watch for.
Someone calls you smart or capable, and your mind immediately files a correction: "I just got lucky," "the bar was low," "they're being nice." Compliments bounce off instead of landing — because accepting them would contradict the story that you're a fraud.
Working harder than everyone around you can be a way of paying a debt you don't actually owe — compensating for a lack of ability that exists only in your head. If achievement has become the way you keep anxiety quiet, our post on high-functioning anxiety looks at that pattern from the other side.
Not applying for the role, staying quiet in the meeting, turning down the project — not because you don't want it, but because trying means risking exposure. Avoidance brings instant relief, which is exactly why it grows.
Everyone drops a ball occasionally. For someone with imposter syndrome, a minor mistake isn't a data point — it's the verdict. The shame lands out of all proportion, because the mistake seems to confirm what you secretly believed all along.
Recognizing this loop in yourself? You don't have to figure it out alone. A free 20-minute consult with our intake team is a low-pressure way to talk through what's been going on and get matched with a therapist whose approach fits.
Book a free matching consultThe first step is naming it — you can't work with something you haven't identified. From there, a few strategies consistently help:
Some imposter feelings at a new job or in first year are close to universal — and they usually fade as evidence accumulates. What deserves more attention is anxiety that behaves like more than a passing alarm. The National Institute of Mental Health draws the line this way: anxiety that doesn't go away, shows up across many situations, builds over time, and starts interfering with school, work, or relationships is more than temporary worry (NIMH).
Imposter syndrome itself isn't a diagnosable condition — but the anxiety it fuels can reach the level of one. A formal diagnosis of an anxiety disorder can only come from a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or nurse practitioner. You don't need to wait for that, though: if the loop is costing you sleep, opportunities, or peace of mind, that's already reason enough to talk to someone.
Therapy works on both halves of the loop at once. Approaches like cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) help you catch the fraud story in real time, test it against actual evidence, and stop outsourcing your successes to luck — while calming the anxious response your body has learned to attach to being seen. Our anxiety counselling team includes Registered Social Workers and Registered Psychotherapists who work with imposter syndrome, performance worry, and anxiety in person in Kitchener-Waterloo and online across Ontario. If you're a university student in the region, our student counselling page covers how coverage through UW and Laurier benefit plans works. Therapy is not covered directly by OHIP, but many extended benefit plans cover services from RSWs and RPs.
If the fraud feeling has been running your decisions — the opportunities you skip, the hours you overwork, the praise you can't accept — you don't have to keep managing it alone. Reaching out is easy. A free 20-minute conversation is all it takes to figure out whether working with a Trillium therapist would be a good fit for you.
Book a Free ConsultationLearn more about anxiety counselling at Trillium
No. Imposter syndrome — formally the impostor phenomenon — is not listed in the DSM-5, so it isn't something anyone gets diagnosed with. It's a well-documented pattern of self-doubt that psychologists have studied since the 1970s. The anxiety it fuels, however, can reach the level of a diagnosable condition — and a formal diagnosis of an anxiety disorder can only come from a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or nurse practitioner. You don't need any diagnosis to work on it in therapy.
What is the difference between imposter syndrome and anxiety?Anxiety is a response — your body's alarm system reacting to a perceived threat, with physical symptoms like a racing heart and mental ones like racing thoughts. Imposter syndrome is a belief — the conviction that you're less competent than people think and will eventually be exposed. They're different things, but they feed each other: the belief gives the alarm a reason to ring, and the anxious feelings seem to confirm the belief. That's why working on only one half of the loop often isn't enough.
Why do I feel like a fraud even when I'm doing well?Because imposter syndrome blocks you from internalizing success. Achievements get attributed to luck, timing, extra effort, or other people's low standards — never to your actual ability — so no amount of evidence settles the question. It's especially common when you're new somewhere: starting university, entering a competitive field, or being the first in your family in a particular environment. The feeling isn't proof of anything except how the pattern works.
Can therapy help with imposter syndrome?Yes. Therapy targets both halves of the pattern: the fraud belief and the anxiety it produces. Approaches like cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) help you notice the imposter story as it happens, test it against real evidence, and build a more accurate picture of your abilities — while also settling the physical anxiety response. Many people notice the loop loosening within a handful of sessions, whether or not they ever pursue a formal assessment.
If you or someone you know needs support right now, help is available:
About the reviewer — Devon Jorge, MSW, RSW — Devon is a Registered Social Worker (MSW, RSW) at Trillium Counselling with training in EMDR, CBT, and other evidence-based therapies for anxiety and trauma. She reviews Trillium's educational articles to keep them accurate, responsible, and aligned with current psychotherapy practice.
About this article — This article is intended for general education about mental health and the therapy process. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment, or individualized mental health advice. If you have concerns about your mental health, please speak with a qualified health professional or contact local crisis services in an emergency.