[Ocean Swimmer]

I think BP people may have a higher IQ then non BP.
Do you remember if you have a high IQ?
I do. Can't remember the number but school told my parents.
In 7 th grade we moved to CA. I was tested and school told my folks I could actually start high school.
My folks wouldn't let me advance. They complained about me growing up too fast.
I did poorly in 7 th 8 th and 9 th. Bored and depressed.
Then I saw a chance to move out of my house. Motivated me. Got straight A's.
Graduated in 11 th.

I suspect the variability in IQ in bipolar patients is about the same as the general population.

[Shazerac]

High IQ can sometimes cause problems. My brother had a extremely high IQ and he got easily bored m flitted from thing to thing and never did anything with his life. He drank so much he damaged his brain and can't live alone now.

I honestly don't know

pretty low though I'd imagine, since I missed out on so much of my education

[Theresa1991]

My parents sent my to a psychologist at age seven to have me tested. I got tested a few times more in my adolescence and they say my IQ is at a level that only 2 % of the population reach. It caused me a lot of problems and also advantages throughout my life. I don't know about intelligence in bipolar, but I read that many of us are highly creative.

[Icare dixit]

Our (actually your) IQ is higher on average, apparently. Mine is very low.

[Faltering]

I'm actually trained to administer IQ tests. I have never had my general intelligence tested, but I imagine I would demonstrate strengths and weaknesses that would balance out to an average or low average IQ. For instance, my verbal abilities are higher and my visual-spatial skills are low.

[leejosepho]

Mine was near the highest (or maybe even the highest) in my sixth-grade class, but my grades began falling after that since I had no real direction and knew nothing about goals. Being ahead of (or at least different than) others in the intellectual department presented many challenges I did not (and at times still do not) understand or know how to handle, but I think some of that comes from my spot on the autism spectrum.

[Victoria'smom]

Mine was very high in 8th grade but I'm probably average by now.

[LadyShadow]

I have no idea, but I am imagining average. I mean I am high functioning and very smart but I still make a lot of stupid mistakes that most deem "common sense"

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by LadyShadow

...high functioning and very smart but I still make a lot of stupid mistakes that most deem "common sense"

My wife tells people I seldom make mistakes but they are big ones when I do! And yes, many of those are from a seeming lack of what other people call common sense.

[Theresa1991]

Anyway intelligence doesn't have anything to do with good or bad education, knowing stuff or not making mistakes. I make a lot of mistakes and they have tested me for a far over average IQ lots of times. That doesn't mean I cannot behave very, very stupid.

[Guess7131]

My IQ was 129 the last time i was tested, that was a few years ago tho and i smoke marijuana now so im a bit more slow. Plus your IQ is just your ability to learn so im not extremely smart, just have the abilty to be.

I won't thumb my nose. All I will say is that my medications and perhaps my age have significantly reduced my cognitive function.

Perhaps we should have a thread about "EQ" (emotional intelligence IQ or quotient). There are several ways to score this. Like a Briggs-Meyers test there is no right or wrong tally. It is used most often as an aptitude test for employment applications, job placement, and screening. In many ways, your EQ is a much better standard for measurement of the person you are.

[pirilin]

The smart ones are always borrowing money from the dumb ones.

[TishaBuv]

I know approximately my IQ from what my mom told me I tested in fourth grade. I know my kids' IQ's.

Since IQ measures your ability to learn, I wonder if people with higher IQ's have an easier time at figuring out how to live a good life.

My IQ are really high, like 700.

I do smart things all the time, so obviously I am far more intelligence than everyone else.

Don't deny it, party poopers

[BipolaRNurse]

My IQ was 126 in college, God only knows what it is now.

[Nammu]

I think it was mid 130's. High enough for Mensa. I was tested when my life first started going out of control.....around age 25-27. But I'm sure years of episodes and psych drugs have taken a toll. There are days when I get stuck on things like or, ore, oar. Seriously my mind can't get out of a rut.

[Moose72]

Last time I took a test (pre diagnosis) I scored around 136. I thought that was low as my husband at the time had an IQ of 170ish.

[emgreen]

When I was taking classes to get my M.A. in education, we had an entire section in a course that focused on 40 different types of intelligence..."learnin' IQ" is but one. I'm sure I have an idiot's IQ when it comes to inter-personal & mechanical intelligence.

[Icare dixit]

I've always been stupid, apparently.

[Ocean Swimmer]

It's just curious that most of us can and do go to university and do well.
My husband has no mental problems. But he hated school. Doesn't like to learn new things.
I love to learn when I'm not depressed

[bioChE]

I have a Mensa-level IQ, but it hasn't kept me from making some seriously stupid choices in life. It helped me through the most difficult undergraduate degree in existence, helped me get a good job and have a good career so far. It has not helped me avoid being BP. It has not kept me out of IP. It has not kept me away from meds which reduce my IQ and my memory. It has not kept me from alcoholism and addiction. It has not kept me from marriage difficulties.

I think it allows me to "succeed" in spite of these things, but it has not kept me from a life with many difficulties. As such, I don't really give a sh.it about IQ testing and comparisons.

[pirilin]

140. Genius or almost genius. That was before alcohol and age came tumbling down.
My IQ came out so low in a kindergarten test, that I won't tell you. Under 125, over 123.