Brilliant people gets depressed more?
By damned_dle
@damned_dle (3942)
Philippines
16 responses
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
8 May 11
damned__dle I think that is because brilliant people often feel lonely as they sometimes feel that nobody understands what they are Saying and they do not really want that title brilliant theyjust want to be liked'and like back. but they try to talk the way they are and nody u nderstand what they are saying." don't use such big words"
or " I haven't a clue what you're talking about" from friends make'a brilliant person feel so alone.They are humans first, and humans need other humans.
1 person likes this
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
8 May 11
Perhaps being so intelligent and not having the same high standards might mean that they sort of feel alienated from the friends. I can to a sense relate in this way. As I too being such IQ felt alienated by friends.
@damned_dle (3942)
• Philippines
10 May 11
Most people don't realize how hard it is to be a brilliant/smart person.. Just imagine how many stupid people they have to cope up with everyday? 
Maybe that is enough reason for them to get depressed!
Maybe that is enough reason for them to get depressed! 
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
7 May 11
I don't think there is any scientific proof, but it makes some sense to me. It may be that some brilliantly clever people have lightning quick minds and this could make them restless in youth, and easily bored, so drawn to risk-taking behaviour. Of course all this can lead to mood swings, and even burn-out and depression in some cases. And as they age, it seems logical they will become worldly-wise, perhaps more than most: their perceptiveness could lead to world weariness; melancholy; and of course: depression. It may be that the brilliant have overly sensitive nerves, and minds, which cause them to have so many perceptions...all of which can contribute to depression. I can see it would be very hard to be brilliant; so that the notion of the tortured genius is not necessarily fantastical.
1 person likes this
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
7 May 11
Hi Dear Damned_dle! You are right! I think in my opinion the people who are brilliant , they set their yard stick at quite an upper level they always want to achieve the goal by hook or crook!Since they know they are brilliant together with others people in the society they demand more from them selves! If such people with more IQ fail in their attempt they get disappointed utterly and they get into depression , which is because of frustration that he/she couldn't prove for himself/herself and next thing is that they feel insulted in the society who in turn expected a lot from such people! Though I don't have any scientific proof for this , but out of my personal experience I can definitely say so! Thanks for he discussion ! 
1 person likes this
@damned_dle (3942)
• Philippines
8 May 11
I would rather be satisfied and happy and not brilliant than being brilliant and then get depressed..
@HADDOWZ (1469)
•
8 May 11
Hello,
It's not really something I have thought about, but after reading the responses from other myLotters then it does seem to make alot of sense.
But then you have to say what is a brilliant person, is it money, brains, good looks etc. Everyone is brilliant in their own special way and everyone can suffer from depression at some point in their life.
A brilliant person is someone who takes the time to help a friend with depression.
1 person likes this
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
8 May 11
I believe it has to do with the high stress and worries brought upon the so many activities they are involved in.
It is true that money certainly can't buy happiness so the high stress certainly has to be a contributory factor.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
8 May 11
when I was classifed as high IQ I felt so isolated from my classmates as my friends suddenly looked at me like I was some sort of freak. being
brilliant can also alienate you from the friends you always had, it's so very lonely.I was lucky I marriate a man who did not feel I was a freak any more.
@inertia4 (27960)
• United States
7 May 11
I don'r know about that. I consider myself intelligent and I know aI am depressed for different reasons. I think that brilliant or intelligent people, unlike myself, have no common sense. Without common sense you have a hard time reading people. Well, I am depressed for personal relationship reasons. You know, the wife left and took the kids. That is a valid reason. But being depressed for being smart does not make sense.
@damned_dle (3942)
• Philippines
8 May 11
Sometimes being intelligent, you can't help but think too much and will cause you to worry too much. Hope you will be better soon.
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
8 May 11
Actually there is something to the intelligence factor. The higher your IQ, the more you tend to do. The more you have on your plate, the more "potential" you have for depression. That is not to say that all intelligent folks will get depressed. Some folks thrive on stress! They are the true 'A' type personalities. They were genetically geared for the 21st century.
Not everyone was genetically modified for this no matter what their IQ. They could be the most brilliant person on earth. They would still need a nice quiet lab or office somewhere where they could work at their own pace. That, however, is no longer allowed in this world. You have to work at someone else's pace.
This is where depression begins. And it really does not just happen to the high IQ folks. It happens to every one who must answer to the pressure of today's fast paced world. It just seems to effect the high IQ world differently. They don't see it coming. They don't understand it for some reason
1 person likes this
@smashville14 (278)
• Philippines
8 May 11
you must be feeling depressed now Adoniah.... I'm starting to feel depressed too, lol.
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
7 May 11
Hi damned dle: Yes this usually happend. It's not a sci fact but I can explain it: brilliant people are often questioning themselves about the big problems and there are some big issues that no matter how smart you are you can't find a solution. There are so many injustices and if you think too much about the terrible things that happend around us you'll probably feel depressed.
ALVARO
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
8 May 11
Einstein overcame many hurdles in his life. He was kicked out of school for flunking math and was told he was retarded. He was actually dyslexic. Back then they thought people who were dyslexic were mentally challenged, when in fact they usually have very high IQs. I was kicked out of school in first grade and my parents were told that I was retarded. Dad knew I wasn't and just put me in a different school the next year. Dyslexics have a hard time with math and can't learn to read...I taught myself to read by the third grade...I don't read like you do, but I read faster than most folks. Einstein did the same thing...he taught himself. Once he learned, there was no stopping him. But I am sure he battled depression and melancholy all of his life. You can see it in his writing.
@damned_dle (3942)
• Philippines
8 May 11
Yes you got it right! Trying to solve EVERYTHING is just depressing! Because there are so many things in life that can not be answered.
@smashville14 (278)
• Philippines
8 May 11
Should we say Albert Einstein was a very depressed individual back then?
@megamatt (14292)
• United States
8 May 11
You know I thought about this, and that actually does make a sense. A lot of brilliant people have in fact realized that they are brilliant. Of course there are some that are more modest and rather humble, but there are a lot of brilliant people out there. However, they feel that they are not as appreciated as someone of their talents could in fact be. And that can be a problem if people of any intellect do not feel rather appreciated.
Also they can feel that no matter how brilliant they are, there is a chance that nothing is going to be working out. And some of them are seeing people who they feel is not as bright as them excel in many areas. It is almost like a slap in the face to them and that really does cause many brilliant people to not feel as brilliant. So yeah, it does seem that brilliant people do get more depressed more easily. It does make sense.
1 person likes this
@mariacecilia13 (490)
• Philippines
8 May 11
I am am not sure if there is a scientific proof for that, but it is very common to hear that intelligent people having nervous breakdown and eventually go crazy . My elementary classmate was an example, she's very intelligent and always one of the best student from elementary to college and I was so shocked when I learned that she's not the same person anymore. =(
1 person likes this
@sashakiddo (1102)
• United States
7 May 11
This would make sense because if you are a genius, it is hard to find people who are on the same level as you. You don't really have role models to emulate, or people to learn from. People might look up to you so you feel too superior to make friends. At the same time, brilliant people might enjoy their life because they can enjoy teaching others. So I think it would depend on the individual.
1 person likes this
@lsdshrooms (214)
• United States
8 May 11
Probably because they see life under a different, more logical light.. they realize we're just tiny dots on this huge Earth, and that our lives and deaths make no difference. Regular people don't think about this alot so they're generally happy..
1 person likes this
@cherryblossom (79)
• Canada
7 May 11
I would not say that most depressed people are brilliant...there are people who are depressed for very different reasons. Just because it has happened that there are many known depressed people who have done brilliant things, doesn't mean that there is a definite correlation. There is no possible way you can conclude that most depressed people are brilliant unless you somehow knew every depressed person in the world, and could find out whether they were brilliant or not.
@damned_dle (3942)
• Philippines
8 May 11
Yes you are right.. I should have said that brilliant people are more likely to get depressed than ordinary people.
@cherryblossom (79)
• Canada
7 May 11
Saying that "brilliant people get depressed more" and "most of depressed people are brilliant" is two different things.
@AmourHelen (136)
• United States
8 May 11
I never really didn't thought about that before.. I've always thought they would be happy with their life because they seem pretty successful. But reading the answers, it makes sense...
