Understanding Mental Health Imposter Syndrome
Many people feel that they don't deserve treatment for mental health, even if they are experiencing pain or mental health problems. Mental health imposter syndrome, or the feeling that you are not suffering badly enough to deserve treatment for mental health, is genuine. This syndrome is characterized by feelings of inadequacy that continue regardless of evident success. Sufferers experience constant self-doubt and a sense of fraudulent intellect despite outside proof of their competence or success.
People who experience mental health imposter syndrome often believe that they do not deserve care regardless of evidence that they could benefit from seeing a therapist. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for people to feel this way and consistently discount their thoughts, experiences, and emotions because they believe they are not suffering enough compared to others or even as much as they did in more traumatic times in their lives.
No one should avoid getting the mental health care they need. Still, when they experience mental health imposter syndrome, they may refuse to consider seeking support or deny themselves access completely. Experts offer these ways that mental health imposter syndrome can block you from receiving care and ways to reframe your thinking and seek the needed support.
They are not experiencing pain right now.
The idea that a person must be in a mental health crisis to seek treatment is a common misconception. In most cases, Windermere counseling can act as a powerful tool for prevention that can help a person gain improved self-awareness and develop essential coping strategies for their future. Simply because you are not experiencing pain right now, or you don't believe it's bad enough, does not mean that you shouldn't take steps toward preventative mental health care.
Repeated misconceptions and scripts about mental health care.
Many people do not want to take medications for mental illness or assume since they have never felt suicidal or haven't had bad things happen to them, they don't deserve to feel the way they feel. It is important to remember that not every person seeking mental health treatment ends up taking medications and there is no collection of symptoms or set path that every person shares. When we don't feel broken or sick, we may assume that we cannot benefit from seeing a therapist. Therapy isn't about fixing or curing you, and you are not broken. It is about discovering self-awareness, developing practical coping skills to support you through the roller coaster of life, and giving you support to help you in developing resilience and strength.
Successful functioning in some life areas makes us doubt that we need support.
Many people use their drive for personal and professional success or productivity as an excuse for ignoring mental and physical pain and instead rely on substances for coping with their stressors. Things like lack of sleep to complete work or pushing through pain and illness to be productive are rewarded and normalized in our society. This disconnect from our health makes it challenging to realize that things are not OK, and we may need further support. In addition, we fail to understand that our mental health treatment and needs are unique to us.
A consistent thought for people who experience mental health imposter syndrome is that everybody is suffering, and others have it worse than them, so they don't deserve treatment. There are many reasons why a person may try to minimize their level of suffering. Maybe social stigma makes it hard for them to talk about mental health with their family and friends, or they feel like they need to keep up the appearance that they have their lives together. Sometimes they fear looking incompetent or weak for admitting that they have mental health struggles. It is important to remember that seeking therapy never makes you soft. The world should not normalize the idea that people must seem like they have their lives together at all times or that suffering through mental health symptoms is better than seeking mental health support.
Life can be complicated and messy. Most human beings share common emotions, but the impact of specific situations can differ from individual to individual. Every person experiences and reacts to loss, grief, sadness, pain, anxiety, and other emotions and events differently. There is no single way of feeling or dealing with life that is more valid than another. You should take some time to research Windermere counseling if you are experiencing mental health imposter syndrome.
Explore your feelings and jot down the emotions or experiences bothering you. Every person deserves to have support for mental health. Realizing the pain you are experiencing is valid, changing the reactions that keep your defenses up, and recognizing that functioning well in one area of life does not mean that you don't deserve support will help you work through your mental health imposter syndrome issues and seek the support and care you deserve.
