Weight of Doubt
I remember the day clearly, the weight of the world pressing down on my shoulders as I sat at my desk, staring blankly at the screen in front of me. My heart raced, my palms grew sweaty, and my mind was consumed with self-doubt and worry. I was certain that at any moment, my colleagues would discover that I was a fraud, an imposter who had somehow slipped through the cracks and landed a job I was clearly unqualified for.
This feeling, this crippling sense of inadequacy and self-doubt, has a name: imposter syndrome. It’s a pervasive and often paralyzing fear that, despite evidence to the contrary, we are not competent or intelligent or talented enough to succeed in our chosen field. For those of us who are neurodivergent, this fear can be even more pronounced as we face unique challenges and obstacles that can make it difficult to shake the feeling that we don’t belong.
Neurodivergence is a term used to describe individuals who think differently than what is typically considered “normal.” This can include individuals with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other conditions that affect the way we process information and interact with the world around us. While neurodivergence can bring many strengths and talents to the table, it can also make us more susceptible to imposter syndrome.
For me, one of the biggest challenges of neurodivergence has always been masking — the act…
