[Icare dixit]

Would you say you were intelligent?

Did BP cause it, result from it or is unrelated to it, do you think?

Objectively speaking I probably am what would be considered intelligent. I'm not overly educated even by a stretch.

When I'm depressed I feel very stupid and when elevated I think I'm a genius. When I'm depressed my mind is slow, when elevated my mind is quicker and faster to process. There is truth in it.

I do not believe my BP determined my intelligence, but while manic I have thought the doctors and family/friends mistake genius for madness.

Yes, I am intelligent. It is completely unrelated in any way to my diagnosis.

[Ripose]

Originally Posted by lolagrace

Yes, I am intelligent. It is completely unrelated in any way to my diagnosis.

Same for me except for one thing, from testing year ago my IQ was 146 but now after brain damage from drinking and psyche meds it has dropped to 90 but people still consider me to be more intelligent than most.

I think IQ tests are worthless anyway.

Everyone has their own definition of "intelligent".

Would I say Einstein was intelligent? Yes, I would. He excelled in the area of academics and research. Would I say Michael Jordan is intelligent? Yes, I would. He might not have been a top student when he was in school, but he was an intelligent basketball player. Similarly, I would say Van Gogh was an intelligent painter.

I tend to excel in the realm of academics, but I don't think that makes me any more or less intelligent than someone who excels in sports, art, music, etc..

My IQ is "very superior", but that just means I'm good at taking a professional IQ test. If I were to play basketball, my "basketball IQ" would probably be below 90!

And to answer the other part of your question: no, I don't think BP has affected or "determined" my overall intelligence

[Trippin2.0]

Intelligent, which was clear from a very young age, and proven. Its completely unrelated to my brain that started to short circuit at age 14.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by lolagrace

Yes, I am intelligent. It is completely unrelated in any way to my diagnosis.

Would you say it is intelligent to assert it is completely unrelated to your BP? It really might be more intelligent, just curious. Or is it just unrelated to your diagnosis, but not necessarily your BP?

A diagnosis probably makes you feel less intelligent. Honestly, I think it did for me. But maybe when depressed it works the opposite way.

[pirilin]

My father was a genius. One of my sons is a genius. (the other is super good looking).
Do you think intelligence can skip a generation?.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by Ripose

Same for me except for one thing, from testing year ago my IQ was 146 but now after brain damage from drinking and psyche meds it has dropped to 90 but people still consider me to be more intelligent than most.

I think IQ tests are worthless anyway.

My IQ is about 70–80: almost intellectually disabled (I am serious).

I think IQ tests can have a lot of validity, but not for reliably measuring intelligence on their own. Much is just deception. Social trickery or inaptitude.

People tell me I'm intelligent. My psychiatrist always says it to introduce a "but..." (you are mental, let's ignore that you said). Never trust only appearances.

I do like to think I can be pretty wise. There is probably no test that can measure that, so I'm more safe in assuming.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by Trippin2.0

Intelligent, which was clear from a very young age, and proven. Its completely unrelated to my brain that started to short circuit at age 14.

It could still be that it short-circuited because of your intelligence, couldn't it?

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

Everyone has their own definition of "intelligent".

Would I say Einstein was intelligent? Yes, I would. He excelled in the area of academics and research. Would I say Michael Jordan is intelligent? Yes, I would. He might not have been a top student when he was in school, but he was an intelligent basketball player. Similarly, I would say Van Gogh was an intelligent painter.

I tend to excel in the realm of academics, but I don't think that makes me any more or less intelligent than someone who excels in sports, art, music, etc..

My IQ is "very superior", but that just means I'm good at taking a professional IQ test. If I were to play basketball, my "basketball IQ" would probably be below 90!

And to answer the other part of your question: no, I don't think BP has affected or "determined" my overall intelligence

And what about the other way round?

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

Would you say it is intelligent to assert it is completely unrelated to your BP? It really might be more intelligent, just curious. Or is it just unrelated to your diagnosis, but not necessarily your BP?

A diagnosis probably makes you feel less intelligent. Honestly, I think it did for me. But maybe when depressed it works the opposite way.

Yes, it is intelligent to assert that my intelligence is unrelated to my bipolar disorder because I was speaking for myself. I was intelligent long before I displayed any symptomology, remained intelligent through treatment, and am still intelligent now that I am at this point not under any treatment at all. My intelligence level was not related to or affected by my diagnosis in any way. Intelligence can be affected in some people by medications and severity of symptoms; it just hasn't been the case for me.

I never found my diagnosis made be feel any less intelligent. I might have felt less confident, more depressed, sedated by meds, fatigued, etc., but my intelligence seemed to maintain for me fortunately. That isn't the case for everyone. My husband was cognitively affected by medications. He had a severe loss of short-term memory, word recall, etc. Fortunately, I recognized what was happening and the pdoc took him off the med that was the culprit and he has pretty much recovered the cognitive losses he incurred - but not quite entirely.

[Trippin2.0]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

It could still be that it short-circuited because of your intelligence, couldn't it?

Entirely possible

That's actually a running joke among my friends and family.


So welcome to the inside joke

Medicated and unmediated, my intelligence suffers drastically in a bad depression. I can't think straight, I hear what people are saying but cannot register it. I can't make any decisions. No way can I complete any semi-complicated task.

When I first got my BP dx, I was very down in the dumps. I felt awful in so many ways. My husband told me to research "famous people with BP". I did and I felt much better. Whose to say for sure that BP does not offer a boost or advantage to a persons intellect at times. I even let this thought "go to my head" when I'm elevated. Depression grounds me and makes me remember this has almost taken my life on several occasions.

I mean, obviously there are different forms of intelligence. Someone can be very low IQ and the kindest person out there. So it only matters, when it matters.

[Icare dixit]

I firmly belief in a solid two-way causality—for those who have a vulnerability for BP.

Same for unipolar depression, SZA, SZ and ASD vulnerability, but with a gradient from "pure" intelligence to "pure" wisdom for the psychotic spectrum, with mild BP being most purely intelligent and severe SZ most purely wise. At the edge of the spectrum there is clearly much intelligence.

A similar gradient may exist for the autism spectrum, but maybe from intelligence to unintelligence (severe autism often being co-morbid with ID, but it may just be an inability to give expression to either intelligence or wisdom).

[KitRacer]

I think that I am intelligent. Other people have the same impression of me generally. I like to be goofy too though and I definitely don't seem too intelligent sometimes, though maybe quick witted. I can do some things a lot better than others, I suppose that is considered intelligent. Do I think it's because I'm bipolar? No. I developed the skills and tools that allow me to be smart long before I was diagnosed. I think my personality is the main driver of my intelligence. Is bipolar part of my personality? I suppose I could make that argument, but it is a chemical imbalance, not me on a typical day. Things may have occurred in my life that drove my mind to compensate by changing those chemicals. So you could say my experiences led to being bipolar, but I would not single out intelligence.

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[RomanJames2014]

I have a 127 IQ. I'm also extremely creative which helps with problem solving.

I have often wondered about this and when I'm depressed my IQ plummets to average.

I always think of mania like the spinach Popeye eats. Like its a super power or wonder drug because as dangerous as it is, it's abilities are extraordinary.

I wish there was much more studies and information on this because it fascinates me.

My parents were both brilliant, having not gone to college. My dad was amazing at chess and shooting pool and my mom was a successful sales person.

I like to think its thier genes but my sisters are very not smart so I'm curious.

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[KitRacer]

I read a book correlating intelligence and creativity with bipolar disorder. Touched with Fire by Kay Redfield Jamison. If you are interested in the data, I suggest checking that out. Definitely suggests many poets and artists from a large span of history being affected by bipolar or depression.

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[Icare dixit]

Does anyone know anyone with BP who is not intelligent?

Do you know anyone at all who is not intelligent?

Yes, and yes.

[pirilin]

^^^ Ditto.

I don't check people's diagnosis at the door, but yes, I do believe I've seen this combination. But like I said, people can be less than optimal intellectually, and still be more worthwhile than a smarty pants. So it only matters, when it matters.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

Does anyone know anyone with BP who is not intelligent?

Do you know anyone at all who is not intelligent?

I forgot to mention: not including me.

[venusss]

I know many morons, some of them happen to be bipolar.

[BipolaRNurse]

When I'm hypo/manic, I feel like I'm a genius, when depressed (or when I try to figure out Icaredixit's games ) I feel utterly stupid. Neither of which is the case, as my IQ is 126.