Impostor Syndrome

Impostor syndrome is the feeling that you’re a fraud—that you’re somehow less qualified, less deserving of success. There is the fear that you’ll be “found out," which may lead you to attempt to work longer and harder than others. This can be a source of resentment, exhaustion, and a sense of impending doom. While Impostor Syndrome is not solely the domain of alcoholics, many of us report deep attachments to perfectionism and, it's cousin, Impostor Syndrome. Many of us drank over our feelings of resentment and fear arising from the core belief that we were frauds. Now that we are sober, we can bring these fears into the light of truth. When we think, "I'm a fraud," instead of drinking, we ask, "Is that true?" We connect with our recovery communities and see the truth of our own self-worth reflected back at us in the faces of our sober friends. We learn to discard these old patterns of thinking and replace them with healthier, more balanced ones. In recovery, we find freedom from the tyranny of Impostor Syndrome.