TOPIC: Preparing to Sit for the exam

Hello,
.Pursuing the PMP certification is a career path goal for some time but as I have been reading the various material for my course and trying to learn my gaps in knowledge, I keep running across various comments that indicate that if a person has not acted as a PM , they will not pass the exam.
Is this truly the case? I find it hard to believe that everyone who sits for the exam has acted as PM but maybe so? Just want to know if I am in over my head . . My background includes being a participant /team member on multiple projects related to Software implementations but never as an actual PM. I have done many of the activities within a project and I am familiar with various aspects of project but not from a PM perspective. I have documented out my past project experience and I have enough hours to believe my application would be accepted.
Thanks for any feedback you can provide.

Many folks have passed the exam who were not directly PMs. That is not a requirement.
If you participated as part of a project in a documented capacity you will meet the PMI requirements. That's all.
Determination and drive will get you down the path. You are facing that direction, so now get going!
Good luck.