Sad/hopeless about NOT being intelligent

[Gaucho]

hi there. the thread could also be named: "bitter about being stupid" hehe
I just wanted to post that it hurts me to see how everyone is able to make complicated sentences wile talking, having clear thoughts, being able to remember things and have clear believes. I have nothing of all that.
I just started university and I realized how everyone is so much more intelligent than me, it hurts so much and makes me depressed to think that I'm in the wrong place were I don't belong to, because I'm not at the same level.
Even after watching movies I forget what I saw, even the things i like an am interested in i forget the important facts/dates.
I also have a problem expressing myself the way I want to, what probably also is a factor of SA.

Does anyone here has the same problems?

 

[AsTimeBurns]

I finished university with a first class degree and i'm still a bloody idiot, so I know what you mean. Whether it comes to current events - which I either find incredibly dull or too complicated to follow - or any other kind of question, everyone else seems to be able to give reasonably thoughtful and in-depth answers, and I'm just struggling with "erm..uh...I don't know really."

 

[Tomasso]

If it makes you feel any better, I'm only able to type the way I do because I take Adderall.

Naturally I'm as dumb as a rock and every sentence I say is peppered with "like", "um", "uh".

Doing school work without Adderall? Forget it. You'd be like to even get me to read for more than 5 minutes.

Kinda funny, I basically have the choice of being intelligent/social phobia or being dumb/just shy.

 

[Gaucho]

hi Tomasso, I just wanted to say that in nearly all your Threads I felt identified with. Weird because most of the Threads you write could of been from me.

When I was little I would say I was actually pretty intelligent and understood things really easily in class, didn't study but had good marks, etc.
i dare to say that the internet turned me stupid. from playing football all day and thinking of "computers is wasting peoples life" I turned into a into one of those no-lifers.

 

[Pacific_Loner]

It doesn't matter if you're stupid or not, what matters is if you're really trying or not
If you're stupid and you get your degree, you'll just have a better reason to be proud of yourself

Edit: That being said, I did have the same problem as you and there is things that you can do to help regain a clear mind, like cutting sugar

 

[WeirdyMcGee]

I have such a hard time reading because of dyslexia.
My only friend is an author-- when people ask him if I'm a fan of his books, he can't really say because I haven't been able to get through one in it's entirety and understand what it's about or even remember anything that happened.
There's no point in reading anything if you can't even remember what it was about.

It only makes me feel retarded that I can't get lost in a book or enjoy reading and that's something even a toddler can do.

I feel stupid for lots of reasons- that's just one major one.
It does make me feel like less of a person, like there's a disconnect, like I must be completely unintelligent for even being unable to read a newspaper or a pamphlet and understand what it is I'm looking at and remember what it was about 2 minutes later-- after struggling for 10 minutes to read it.
hah.

 

[Gaucho]

It doesn't matter if you're stupid or not, what matters is if you're really trying or not
If you're stupid and you get your degree, you'll just have a better reason to be proud of yourself

Edit: That being said, I did have the same problem as you and there is things that you can do to help regain a clear mind, like cutting sugar

thats the point, struggling so much in not understanding things, makes me not seeing any point in studying or have motivation for it.
Also i doubt ill be able to get a degree some day. but who knows, maybe wonder happens...

 

[MrJones]

I'm pretty dumb and the more I see the more intelligent people I meet. I feel useless and stupid and it's just another reason for my depression.

 

[Graeme1988]

I think I definitely come across as dumb sometimes. Due to the fact I don't talk much, and I find it hard to articulate my thoughts sometimes. Also, and as strange as this is going to sound, I think I only read to give the illusion or the appears that I'm more intelligent than I actually am. If that makes sense?

 

[DevC]

I know I have a terrible time sounding smart too, especially when friends will be quoting movies and such word for word that I have also seen and I just end up listening to them with a blank stare unable to participte cause I'm to nervous to sort through my memory.

I also cant even recal if I've ever finished a novel, mainly due to interest.


But I do know I am smart at certain things, Everybody on here is, thats a fact just the hardest part for me atleast is being comfortable enough to organize my thoughts an communicate them.

 

[lilmutegirl]

I, too, feel that I'm very unintelligent. Somehow, I have managed to trick people (unintentionally) into thinking I'm pretty smart. I got into gifted education in middle school and went to a prestigious high school which required students to score highly on a standardized test to acquire admission. I have an associate's degree, which took me 8 years to get (it should've only taken 2). I have been working on and off toward my bachelor's degree, but it's going to take at least 3 more years, probably. Most of my former classmates are doctors and lawyers.
My brother is a genius, which makes me feel even dumber. What makes matters worse, is that he's been in a couple of horrible car accidents, which caused him to have brain damage. He is still smarter than me. I am the dumbest person in my family, but considering my dad was valedictorian of his high school class, maybe that doesn't mean that I'm too dumb.

 

[theslowesthand]

There's different TYPES of intelligence. The 2 most commonly-known tests for such are the IQ (which tests overall intelligence), and "emotional IQ" (tests for "emotional intelligence"). I think another is "social intelligence". Also "street-smart" intelligence.
And MAYBE the one that maybe people have in today's egocentric world is "obvious intelligence" (or "seen-to-be intelligence")? hehe. But seriously, these people have to APPEAR to be "very intelligent", so they put all their efforts into the things that can give them the "status" of "a very intelligent person" .. which of course means they are severely lacking in the other, "unseen" areas of their lives (which they keep hidden from others, as are their weaknesses/flaws; & they probably deny those weaknesses as well, prefering to focus on the "appearing to be intellgent" part, which makes them feel .. well .. "intelligent", as well as "successful" )

I've always had very low social & emotional intelligences, but very high left-brain intelligence. But personally, my EXCESSIVELY-high intelliegence (have an IQ of 140/so) is a double-edged-sword. It helps me attack ideas/problems/projects/etc with it, but it also attacks me (majorly, on a constant basis)!. And i have great difficulty in "relaxing" with people (or by myself), as my intelligence is always on "overdrive", and i'm constantly overwhelmed by everything & confused And the overall result of of all this is to make me feel sad/hopeless about EVERYTHING! ::

 

[Kiwong]

I think I am intelligent, I just find it hard to focus. It's so hard to focus with a million thoughts coming at me at once.

 

[montejocarlo]

well, it's a good thing then that life isn't about who's smart, who's stupid; who's pretty, who's ugly; who's tall, who's short; who's rich, who's poor. it's just about being who you are, and doing what you want.

 

[lurknomore]

I think sad/hopeless is how I feel- but I'm not lacking in "book" smarts, just all of the other kinds. I have college degrees, but haven't even begun to put them to use- I feel absolutely clueless about making it in the "real" world. ::

 

[ohheybbyitscorixx]

I was in the gifted classes in school, but then I stopped going. I've just started to come out in the world and I realized I am lacking a huge vocabulary. If it wasn't for spell check, you all would laugh so hard! I forget ALL of the math I learned. I also dissociate so I tend to say things like "....err....ahhh...sfdfsldfks". I can't concentrate. But you know the good news? Most studied hard to be smart. With most people, it's not just "Oh...I read 3 pages and I'm a genius". You can study to be smarter. But there will always be someone smarter than you. The more important thing is if you find someone who is smarter (in one area), make sure they don't try and rub it in your face or run far, far away!

 

[ohheybbyitscorixx]

There's different TYPES of intelligence. The 2 most commonly-known tests for such are the IQ (which tests overall intelligence), and "emotional IQ" (tests for "emotional intelligence"). I think another is "social intelligence". Also "street-smart" intelligence.
And MAYBE the one that maybe people have in today's egocentric world is "obvious intelligence" (or "seen-to-be intelligence")? hehe. But seriously, these people have to APPEAR to be "very intelligent", so they put all their efforts into the things that can give them the "status" of "a very intelligent person" .. which of course means they are severely lacking in the other, "unseen" areas of their lives (which they keep hidden from others, as are their weaknesses/flaws; & they probably deny those weaknesses as well, prefering to focus on the "appearing to be intellgent" part, which makes them feel .. well .. "intelligent", as well as "successful" )

I've always had very low social & emotional intelligences, but very high left-brain intelligence. But personally, my EXCESSIVELY-high intelliegence (have an IQ of 140/so) is a double-edged-sword. It helps me attack ideas/problems/projects/etc with it, but it also attacks me (majorly, on a constant basis)!. And i have great difficulty in "relaxing" with people (or by myself), as my intelligence is always on "overdrive", and i'm constantly overwhelmed by everything & confused And the overall result of of all this is to make me feel sad/hopeless about EVERYTHING! ::

Do you always over analyze situations you are in because of your intelligence?

 

[Feathers]

oh gosh - sad/hopeless because of being TOO intelligent sometimes too - GRR!!

(I sympathize tho - it can be frustrating - especially if you live among people who think differently - know there are more than one intelligence, maybe it could be helpful to you to read about the 7+ different intelligences yeah?)

Cori, was that an insult or a genuine quiestion?
Yup, overanalyzing can happen yeah - but even worse is thinking OH GOSH HOW COULD HE/THEY DO IT??? GRR!!!!!

Gaucho - are you musical/artsy? Or sportsy? Some people don't 'think' in verbal structures (sentences, words) but in images, feelings, etc.

 

[Feathers]

Okay, I read the whole thread - yup, I think internet/too much computer time can really influence intelligence/memory etc.

There was a study that said using computer more than 5 hours a day can cause depression, anxiety, difficulty to get along with others, sleep problems etc. Why using a computer can cause depression | Mail Online

Psychology Professor Cary Cooper from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology said concern was growing over mental health problems caused by working with computers.

'We are finding that people are working with machines as opposed to other people,' he said. 'The problem is not just sitting in front of a computer but the fact that people don't take a break and cannot prioritise what they are doing.

'They are overloaded then they worry about the work they are not doing.

Read more: Why using a computer can cause depression | Mail Online

Not being able to prioritise is connected to ADD/other memory problems or such too...

Some people with ADD also found computer use problematic (though some found it helpful, yet addictive) Does computer use make your symptoms worse/better? - ADD Forums

Some people manage to improve memory/reduce or 'prevent/minimize' ADD by doing sports and tweaking nutrition... So yeah, not doing sports anymore could be a factor too!!

I've read about a link between depression and memory problems before too... And yeah, personal experience too... I usually felt better and memory improved after a walk/hike/jog/bike ride outside... (or after some foods)

 

[Feathers]

Just want to say that 'gifted' or 'talented' or 'intelligent' people can get ADD/ADHD or ADD/ADHD-like symptoms too... (it's not necessarily a sign of intelligence - there are some doctors and professors on ADD forums too...)

And even people with good 'intelligence' can have 'learning difficulties', for example I've had non-verbal learning difficulties and had troubles learning sports or car driving or such