Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Maisie Williams suffer from imposter syndrome; But what is it? Here's the lowdown
Celebs who suffer from imposter syndrome
Do you know what Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Emma Watson, Lady Gaga and Maisie Williams have in common other than being astronomically successful in their careers? Well, they all have suffered or are currently suffering from Imposter Syndrome, which means that they all go through dark times when they feel like a fraud and credit their hard-earned success to just luck.
While most of us think that being a celebrity brings confidence, happiness, and everything else one can wish for, it's not quite true for many stars, who struggle with the impostor phenomenon. Wondering what thissyndrome is all about and what exactly one experiences when they have it? Scroll to know!
What exactly is imposter syndrome?
According to Harvard Business Review, Imposter Syndrome, also known asimposter phenomenon, fraud syndrome,impostorism and imposter experience, can be described asa collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite being successful. People dealing with this psychological phenomenonsuffer from chronic self-doubt and they usually have a sense of intellectual fraudulence which overrides any external proof of their competence. People dealing with itfeelthat they aren't as capable as others think and they fear gettingexposed as a fraud.
The term was first officially used in the 70s. Back in 1978, psychologists Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose Clancedetected imposter syndrome in high-achieving professional women. However, in recent days, experts have found that it'scommon among both men and women.
How to know if you're suffering fromimposter syndrome?
Do you doubt your own skills while thinking that you're unqualified and incompetent, despite having accomplished a lot in your career? Chances are you may have imposter syndrome.
If you start believingthat you’ve fooled people into thinking you’re more skilled than you actually are, you may have the psychological phenomenon that several celebs have recently talked about.
Also, if you credityour success to luck, charm, or others' misjudgmentbesides your abilities, there're high chances that you may be dealing withfraud syndrome.
To get a proper diagnosis, you must visit a psychologist or therapist who can help you with the syndrome.
If you are getting affected by it, professionally, academically, or in relationships, you must see an expert.
Celebs open up aboutimpostorism
Pop star Lady Gaga, in her HBO special, confessed to having imposter syndrome. She said, "I still sometimes feel like a loser kid in high school and I just have to pick myself up and tell myself that I'm a superstar every morning so that I can get through this day and be for my fans what they need for me to be."
'Game of Thrones' fame Maisie Williams, who millions of hearts as Arya Stark, also battles imposter syndrome despite having a phenomenal career in showbiz. In an interview, she once toldGlamour, "I think even being an actress for over a decade now, I still have imposter syndrome. Where you're asking yourself, 'Oh, is this really what I'm supposed to be doing?’"
Speaking to The Sun recently, Dua Lipa revealed that sometimes imposter syndrome gets the better of her, especially when she is writing a song. "A lot of the time I get so inspired by artists that have quite a lot of self-doubt or darkness. I'm like, 'Oh my God, do I have to feel this much pain to be good at what I do?' That is sometimes what I think, sometimes imposter syndrome can get the better of me. Especially when I'm writing," she said.
Before headlining the Glastonbury festival this year, global icon Billie Eilish spoke to NME and opened up about the severe imposter syndrome she faces when it comes to singing in mega shows with big crowds. Again, on Monday, she spoke to BCC and revealed that she has suffered from impostor syndrome many times in her life, particularly between 2020 to 2021.
On several occasions, Emma Watson has opened up about her struggles with imposter syndrome. A couple of years ago, she sat down for a candid conversation with Vogue UK and said, "It’s something I’ve really wrestled with. I’ve gone back and quizzed my parents. When I was younger, I just did it. I just acted. It was just there. It was just something I did.Now when I receive recognition for my acting, I feel incredibly uncomfortable. I tend to turn in on myself. I feel like an imposter."
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