Always Feel Behind At Work? You Might Have 'Career Dysmorphia'

I reckon most of us know the feeling – you look around at your friend group and wonder how everyone’s become so successful, while you’re left feeling professionally “behind”. 

Or you attend a work meeting and, instead of raising your hand to share your thoughts, decide your opinions aren’t worth hearing.

Some have called this “career dysmorphia”, which Kelsey Szamet, an employment lawyer and partner at Kingsley Szamet Employment Lawyers, told us is “usually due to two forces: social comparison and workplace culture.”

What is “career dysmorphia”?

Speaking to HuffPost UK, Dr Ashwini Nadkarni, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and vice chair for faculty enrichment in psychiatry at Mass General Brigham, said: “Career dysmorphia can arise because of how frequently people experience cognitive distortions related to their self-worth in the workplace (this is an inaccurate or irrational way of thinking that reflects one’s feelings more than the fact).” 

In this case, you might tell yourself, “I just can’t succeed in this role”.

But that’s not the only tenet of the distortion, which also “incorporates aspects of the imposter syndrome phenomenon – in which people experience perfectionism, deny their competence, and fear failure (and success because it creates expectations the individual can’t meet),” Nadkarni added.

“With the prevalence of social comparison and hustle culture, amplified by the effects of social media, identity in the workplace is increasingly subject to unrealistic expectations.”

Szamet agreed that social media can make work pressure worse.

“In an age of LinkedIn, promotions, awards, and more, the perceived weight weighs on people, so much so that they end up undermining their own achievements,” she told us.

“Employers sometimes reinforce this feeling by not recognising or rewarding worker contributions, and these employees are left questioning their worth.” 

What are the signs of career dysmorphia?

According to Szamet, these include:

• Minimising or dismissing your own wins when others give you credit
• Feeling like an imposter in the face of an impressive portfolio
• Constantly judging yourself against colleagues or peers and always coming short
• Claiming your career progression is stagnant when you have made measurable progress.

How can I get rid of “career dysmorphia”?

Nadkarni and Szamet both told us awareness is the first step.

“Recognising the factors that drive expectations can help you to evaluate them with the facts, rather than your feelings,” Nadkarni said. 

“Second, try to place a boundary on what triggers social comparison – for instance, breaks from social media.

“Third, reframing your inner self-critic to become a coach is key – for instance, cheering yourself on, rather than putting yourself down, works better and feels better.”

Mentorship, she added, can help you to feel less alone.

Szamet recommends writing your accomplishments down, too. “Listing out achievements helps one reset their perspective and see things clearly,” she told us. 

The lawyer also advised, “Testing the waters by taking an opinion or two from trusted colleagues or mentors who may be able to offer a more balanced view of your work,” and keeping the big picture in mind when evaluating your career. 

Lastly, he noted that sometimes feelings of not being enough can come from external, rather than internal, sources. 

“If your work really isn’t valuing your presence, then it may be time for an uncomfortable talk with your employer or to explore new openings where your efforts can be fully acknowledged,” she shared.