[CycloMary]

It seems like most people here are pretty intelligent.
They are in tune with their feelings & self aware.
It seems the disorder is what holds us back from enjoying our lives to the fullest.
I know BP has its very bad points, bad depressions...but those things make me appreciate when it is good.
Without suffering, we wouldn't know happiness or contentment.
Granted it sure as hell, doesn't feel like a happy lesson while it's happening.

I know it is all short lived bc we change quickly.
I know my H is very stable, normal.
But he can be kinda boring, not much complexity to him.

Is it that my mind is always churning & I crave deep conversation?

I feel like I'm a very passionate person, a deeply feeling, highly sensitive person.
Is is just me or is that something others feel?

[Amy Today]

Of course we are brilliant creative geniuses! I'm biased of course.

I don't know that we are necessarily "smarter", but I think we are more complex, sensitive, and perceptive than some other types of people.

I can't speak for others, but, intellectually, I'm generally one of the sharper tools in the shed. Creative writing is a passion of mine. I tend to be insightful because I've laid awake many nights contemplating the meaning of life. Haha. Like you, I have little tolerance for superficial people and meaningless conversations. I find that kind of socialization exhausting, so I mostly avoid it.

If you think about it, the Bipolar diagnosis itself is complex. It stands to reason that people who receive the diagnosis have many fascinating layers.

I try to accept that being Bipolar is an "illness". And when I'm in a depressive episode, it's easy to embrace it. But it really isn't all bad. All that childhood trauma, the dysfunctional coping mechanisms, and rapid cycling makes us pretty dynamic creatures.

Brilliant, funny, smart, creative, wonderful and good in bed. LOL

Teasing. Or am I?? lol

[Pikku Myy]

Nothing funny about being truly bp i get super creative in certain modes.. including monetary benefits.

I do agree that it is very complex, and we definitely feel things very strongly. So we are more apt to get into creative fields to express our selves. And when manic, we get driven, hence the strive for knowledge and intelligent pursuits.

And the sex part,well...

Yes,they are. I don't suffer from bpd but it's my opinion based on research and experience that they are.

[cmorales]

I don't know if we are more than other people, but I think we definitely possess an "ability" other people don't to become somewhat more... advanced(?) than other people.

At least in my experience, [euphoric] mania tends to magnify certain traits of my personality; specifically my creativity and lust for knowledge and wisdom.

I think, if a bipolar person is intellectually inclined in general, mania or hypomania can certainly push them to acquire a, dare I say "superhuman"(?), amount of knowledge on any number of subjects.

Certainly we posses the [hypo/manic] ability to get more done in a shorter period of time.

All that said, I would say, "yes", we can be a little bit more intelligent than other people. Intelligence really comes from within and is not necessarily learned from a book, but more from personal experiences.

We have experienced more in our heads than most people will experience in a lifetime of travels. We have seen the deepest, darkest regions of the human soul and have lived to tell about it. With a simple flick of the ol' internal switch, we have experienced happiness that no "normal" person ever will. We have ridden waves of rage that would make even the most deranged right wing politician go, "WTF?" and yet, we refrain from committing heinous acts of violence which would land us in prison.

At the very least, we are more sympathetic, empathetic and open-minded than most, and all of that, is a part of intelligence.

Does this go for all bipolar people? No. Of course there are people for whom this would not fit, but that, I believe, is a result of their personality. Of course there are evil people with bipolar who do commit violent crimes. Of course there are manipulative bipolar people who use their hypo/manic/hypersexual "powers" to screw people over... but as we all know, these are not the majority. Certainly it is not the typical type of person here on PC.

[Pastel Kitten]

I would like to think that our ability to experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows naturally makes us more perceptive and sensitive. Higher intelligence may just be an added benefit. Of course I can't speak for everyone, but compared to my peers, I've always been drawn to very deep, intellectual conversation whereas they would be drawn more towards "simple" conversation. The best conversations I have ever had were conversations that I don't think an average 20 year old girl would typically be immersed in. But that is my opinion. I have always gotten along with people who are much older than me as a result. I've also definitely always been a creative person. I love singing, drawing, painting, and sometimes crafts. I've noticed a lot of people on this forum are artists.

in my experience, i'm deffenetly not more inteligent.

i'd struggle to get a good score in an IQ test. i love trivia and anagrams, stuff like that, bhut i wouldn't say i'm heading for the mastermind champion chip or what ever. i guess my inteligence is average for my age, or maybe just a little bit below.

i do think we're more creative though. i lend my poetry writing to my bipolar diagnoses. i know before, i struggled to write anything (thinking about it made my brain ache), but now creativity for me comes naturally

i also think we're more caring as well. i think because we've been judged so many times and because we know what it's like to be miss treated and miss understood, we don't want other people to suffer that- so we do our best to listen and understand them

[raspberrytorte]

I don't perceive myself as more intelligent or creative or anything. My husband is a musician and he's very creative (non afflicted with bp). He does tell me there are creative people and then there are ultra creative people and he tells me I'm one of those people. I'm definitely not more intelligent though! I'm so bad at math it's embarassing! Lol!

[venusss]

Imho, some intelligent people just use their intelligence to drive themselves crazy. Myself included.

So I think it's rather high intelligence and creativity can make your more prone to bipolar (and less accepting of standard treatment) than bipolar making your creative and intelligent.

In my comment I was referring to bpd sufferers being more creative. I can't speak to the intelligence or intellectual parts but I do believe they are more creative.

[Christopher1990]

There's evidence to support this theory. I don't consider myself more intelligent. I am somewhat artistic, and do have the ability to see things from a different perspective. I am a pretty good writer and always did well on my papers in school. I'll blame my meds for killing my sharpness. If I took an IQ test while hypo it would most likely be higher than when I'm low.

[Lady Lazarus]

What an interesting question/topic! I honestly never thought about it too much, but I agree with what people are saying for the most part. I agree with the creativity aspect, especially during mania and hypomania. As for intelligence, that's more tricky. There are so many aspects to intelligence, even if you're just looking at IQ. So yeah we are all intelligent in one way or another, which I know is a cheesy answer. that being said, I do think that we possess certain insights that allow for things like better perspective taking, deeper reasoning, seeing connections etc. that others may not. But now I'm super intrigued by this idea so I'll definitely be looking into this more.

Nope... we just think we are when we're manic.

[Secretum]

I'm fairly intelligent, but I'm no genius. I have a lot of creative ideas, especially when hypo/manic, but I can't act on them because I have no follow-through.

My best friend just told me tonight that I should be a writer because he can "see a profound depth of thought and emotion" in the things I have written (Facebook statuses, blog posts). I think this illness gave me that depth.

[Spaceyspace]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

I don't perceive myself as more intelligent or creative or anything. My husband is a musician and he's very creative (non afflicted with bp). He does tell me there are creative people and then there are ultra creative people and he tells me I'm one of those people. I'm definitely not more intelligent though! I'm so bad at math it's embarassing! Lol!

My husband is a musician too, with no mental illness. He is super creative, has an enormous diverse body of work.

I can relate to this part of your post. I'm so bad at math I can't possibly be "more intelligent" other subjects I excel though.

I have periods of intense creativity. I have periods of laying on the couch.

I highly doubt it on the intelligence factor. Creativity? Maybe when manic, but I'm not sure that's completely and necessarily a good thing in the long run, particularly if that level of creativity cannot be maintained through stability.

[Unrigged64072835]

I don't know about intelligence and being intellectual, but definitely more creative. I've always been creative. I think feeling my emotions more intensely for longer periods of time help me write better poetry and prose.

[cashart10]

When I'm manic, I can sometimes talk to God. I think that puts me in another field of consciousness, literally. Ha! Seriously, I don't find myself more intelligent (quite ditzy at times, actually), but I am fairly creative.

I am more apt to pursue things that are intellectual when I am manic. Meaning watch documentaries, read for hours, research a hobby or interest. I have the motivation to do it for hours and hours.

So, maybe not more intellectual, but definitely more educated, when manic.

[jacky8807]

Idk I have seen creativity and intelligence come to both those affected with BP and those that are not
Those that do not have BP though are lucky not to have their functioning mind screwed over at times via depression ect
What I DO think we have is an emotional intellect and deepness that most people do not have. When you have felt tortured you can understand so much about the world

[CycloMary]

I like that jacky...emotional intellect.
I feel very intuitive & empathic at times with people.
I feel their pain. I have to be careful how much I allow myself the feel bc it can be excruciating.

[Pastel Kitten]

Originally Posted by jacky8807

Idk I have seen creativity and intelligence come to both those affected with BP and those that are not
Those that do not have BP though are lucky not to have their functioning mind screwed over at times via depression ect
What I DO think we have is an emotional intellect and deepness that most people do not have. When you have felt tortured you can understand so much about the world

You make a very good point.

[Trippin2.0]

My IQ has always been on the high side, but I seriously doubt it's BP related.


My younger brother, who's IQ is just as high, if not higher by now, he's more creative and talented than what I am.

Then I also had an older brother, who was definitely smart on another level from the get go.

Both brothers = neurotypical.


Idk, I just think its the luck of the draw, because out of 6 kids, 3 turned out super smart, the other 3 average, and out of all 6, one turned out to be bipolar.