As a student of color, you may experience additional frustrations as a result of racism, and this can lead to race-related stress. Racist actions usually involve some form of racial bias and discrimination. However, at times you may find yourself questioning whether you were a victim of a racist act. This is a common reaction because modern-day racism tends to be covert in nature. Additionally, perpetrators may not recognize their actions as racist because their behavior does not mimic the more overt forms of racism commonly seen in the past. The uncertainty that can accompany perceptions of racism is often due to a misunderstanding of the behaviors that constitute racism. To understand racism it may be helpful to understand the concepts of prejudice and discrimination.
When students of color experience racism, it not only causes problems in their social and economic lives but also negatively impacts their physical and psychological health. Race-related stress refers to the psychological distress associated with experiences of racism. It is important to understand that you can experience race-related stress even if you were mistaken that a racist act occurred. Race-related stress reactions only require that a person believes that they were the victim of racism. Below is a listing of the detrimental effects of race-related stress:
Intense emotional reactions:
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Frustration
- Depression
- Helplessness-Hopelessness
- Isolation
- Paranoia
- Resentment
- Sadness
- Self-blame
- Self-doubt
Ineffective coping:
- Avoidance
- Disengaging
- Substance Use
Health Concerns:
- Heart Disease
- Hypertension
- Muscle Tension
- Sleep Disturbances
- Dietary/Digestive Disturbances
These psychological and physical effects can have a significant effect on your daily life. For example, if you feel isolated due to experiences of racism, you may be reluctant to interact with students from different racial/ethnic backgrounds or participate in campus activities such as student organizations, intramural sports, classroom discussions, and study groups. You may also experience a phenomenon known as stereotype threat, which involves the fear that one’s actions will confirm existing stereotypes about a person’s self-identified racial/ethnic group. Students of color who experience stereotype threat may begin to believe that their peers do not regard them as individuals, but as representatives of their racial/ethnic group. The anxiety that often accompanies stereotype threat can have a negative effect on your performance on academic tasks such as class participation, assignments, and exams. Stereotype threat can also lead to the imposter phenomenon if you internalize negative racial stereotypes about the capabilities of your racial/ethnic group.
What is the Imposter Phenomenon?
The imposter phenomenon can occur if you do not believe that you are as intellectually capable as your peers or have the skills necessary to fulfill the requirements of your role as a student. These beliefs may lead you to dismiss any academic or career-related successes based upon external factors such as beginner’s luck, extra work effort, networking with influential people, or filling a perceived quota (e.g., “I was only offered the internship because they needed more female interns”). The imposter phenomenon can occur across gender, racial/ethnic groups, socioeconomic status, and careers. Therefore, if you suffer from feelings of inadequacy, you are not alone. There are surgeons, lawyers, architects, graduate students, accomplished novelists, performers, historians, social media influencers, and professors who also struggle with the imposter phenomenon.
Effects of the Imposter Phenomenon:
- Anxiety
- Denial of competence
- Fear
- Guilt
- Life dissatisfaction
- Overachievement
- Paranoia
- Sadness
- Shame
Many people who experience the imposter phenomenon believe that they are the only ones who have these beliefs or feelings. They live in constant fear of the “truth” of their capabilities being discovered by their peers, superiors, students, partners, etc. and, therefore, work very hard to succeed and gain recognition while wearing a mask of self-confidence. People who feel like imposters are often skilled at convincing others that they are confident, self-assured, and proud of their accomplishments. However, a disconnect between their outward appearance and their inner emotional state contributes to a feeling of overall life dissatisfaction. As a college student, if you suffer from the imposter phenomenon, you may avoid answering questions in class or having a professor review a paper due to fear of negative evaluations. A successful completion of a project may cause only temporary happiness because the success is not recognized as proof of one’s capabilities. Likewise, an unsuccessful project may be perceived as validation of one’s perceived lack of intelligence and/or skill.