YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

what about a thread of imposter's syndrome? It is common among professionals and academics. the syndrome refers to the fear of being found out or for being a fraud even though there is evidence to the contrary.

Here is the wikipedia(accessed 2014-05-26) definition in case I have not describe it coherently.

Imposter syndrome - is a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. Despite external evidence of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.

I'd be up for that. I suffer from it and so does my husband.

Oh this sounds like something I'm familiar with. I'm terrible at taking any form of compliment, even from my own wife. I get loads of nice comments whenever I post a piece of artwork online... but I can't accept that they're directed at me. I'm constantly thinking that somehow I managed to bluff it through every job interview I've ever had and that when my bosses find out who the real me is, I'll be fired. I suppose it can just be boiled down to "I hate myself".

Do you feel that a thread entitled "I Feel Like a Fraud" would be good?

Paul