For there is nothing to lay hold of. I am made and remade continually. Different
people draw different words from me.
(Virginia Woolf, The Waves, 1931, p. 58)
There has been a dearth of descriptors and serious attention to the "as-if," or imposter personality, in the psychological literature. Most approaches center on how-to ideas for fixing behavior but without attention to or inclusion of the unconscious. This reflects a lack of psychological depth or curiosity towards the intricacy of this personality type.
The "as-if" personality is trapped in its image, attempting the ideal without the ability to be one’s individual self. The reality of oneself is shame-filled for the imposter whose life is based on self-deception. Rooted in the need for protection and self-reliance, the imposter shape-shifts the perception of themselves to fit the occasion. An imposter does not feel a definitive identity and operates in the absence of a fully knowable self. These often high-achieving individuals apprehend they will be found out or unmasked as incompetent or unable. Success cannot be solidly achieved or maintained because the personality is weakened from within and identity disjointed. They can look lively but feel lifeless as a mannequin.
The popularized term and descriptions of imposter syndrome do not adequately get at the depth of the distress applicable beyond the borders of culture, social class, status, or economics. Without the symbolic and the unconscious and delving into deeper meanings, the totality of a person is inadequately addressed, leaving one stuck in a quandary of pain and distress. Jung (1968, para. 563) described this. “An inflated........