Sad/hopeless about NOT being intelligent

somehow i don't think this drasticly anymore,. i try to accept how i am,its still very difficult most of the time.
maybe i exaggerated in my post because i felt so down.

Yeah I feel stupid all of the time. To be completely honest 7 times out of 10 from this very forum. I come on here and il read these threads with all of these deep and philosophical answers and whatnot and I just have absolutely no input because I can hardly grasp whats going on.One of the reasons why I try to limit my time on here-_-

Just being at a university means you have some degree of intelligence. It took me years of community college to finally be accepted. Whatever your interested in you will be more intelligent in you can't force yourself to like certain things but you can be openminded about new interests.

i seem to have a good memory for facts

but a head full of useless trivia has done me little good

i've often considered auditioning for a game show

but i doubt i'm photogenic enough to be allowed on television

People have said that I am intelligent/have above average intelligence. The fact that I use the occasional big or obscure word doesn't make me intelligent. I don't think that they appreciate what I mentally struggle with. My brain frustrates me. I find it so hard to comprehend so many things.

However anxiety and depression do cause confusion, making me feel stupid, but I am more likely merely stupified.

There are different kinds of intelligence. Everybody has degrees in each kind of intelligence, they are more able in some kinds, while lacking in others. In some areas of intelligence, work can be done to improve those areas.

I read a book many years ago about The Seven Types of Intelligence, on an occasion when I had the patience and concentration to read.

I think I am mostly Intrapersonal, with a little Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical and lacking in Bodily-Kinesthetic and Interpersonal.

The Seven Types of Intelligence

Psychologist Howard Gardner has identified the following distinct types of intelligence in his Multiple Intelligences Theory ("MI Theory") in the book "Frames of Mind." They are listed here with respect to gifted / talented children.

1. Linguistic

Children with this kind of intelligence enjoy writing, reading, telling stories or doing crossword puzzles.

2. Logical-Mathematical

Children with lots of logical intelligence are interested in patterns, categories and relationships. They are drawn to arithmetic problems, strategy games and experiments.

3. Bodily-Kinesthetic

These kids process knowledge through bodily sensations. They are often athletic, dancers or good at crafts such as sewing or woodworking.

4. Spatial

These children think in images and pictures. They may be fascinated with mazes or jigsaw puzzles, or spend free time drawing, building with Leggos or daydreaming.

5. Musical

Musical children are always singing or drumming to themselves. They are usually quite aware of sounds others may miss. These kids are often discriminating listeners.

6. Interpersonal

Children who are leaders among their peers, who are good at communicating and who seem to understand others' feelings and motives possess interpersonal intelligence.

7. Intrapersonal

These children may be shy. They are very aware of their own feelings and are self-motivated.


MI Theory teaches parents and educators to look for signs of innate precociousness in children and then to help develop them.

When asked for advice on how parents could rear successful children, Gardner replied that we should not try to make our children good at what we ourselves were good at, or what we ourselves were not good at. Gardner says that our job is to help our children become who they are supposed to be, not what we think they should be.

as early as kindergarten

being "the smart kid" in class never helped my social standing

in fact, it probably helped more than anything to make me an outcast and a freak

so, most of my life i've tried to appear more stupid than i am

in order to fit in better

Gaucho said: ↑

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?

I go through the same thing... when I see how well my family members and friends function intellectually, it makes me feel like I'm slow. I also have a short term memory which doesn't help matters any. I can't process information without losing my train of thought, it's annoying!! 🙁

Tulicks said: ↑

I go through the same thing... when I see how well my family members and friends function intellectually, it makes me feel like I'm slow. I also have a short term memory which doesn't help matters any. I can't process information without losing my train of thought, it's annoying!! 🙁

Yeah. I can relate, Tulicks. I feel exactly the same way, sadly. :🙁:

just my opinion, but it seems to me intelligence is very often confused with knowledge and experience.

lacking knowledge and experience does not make someone stupid, though society often assumes this.

I think I am intelligent, but my anxious mind floods my ability to think clearly.

My ex described me thus: "Heaps of horsepower, can't put it on the road."

I suspect ^this^ is why.

I'm still figuring out how to use my unique blend of intelligence/retardation.

dont worry, i know people who have 2 degrees and constant distinctions in their exams and they cant even tell the difference between a solar system and a galaxy, or even the location of their own heart.

Gaucho said: ↑

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?

Hello Gaucho!

Let me say this, you think way too negative about your own abilities.
You don't see that you are already in University and that you are applied for it, so you actually are good enough to be there.

You compare yourself way too much with the other people, they have more interesting to say, they have more abilities, they have more intelligence, they are not as stupid as I am, hey, they might have something interesting to say, but I bet you have too, but you are afraid to raise that voice!

You want so much more, as I can read in your post. that it's bothering you. But In fact I think you got more abilities, so please, write down the abilities you do have. Think of the intelligent things you do know in life. For e.g you know about SA, most people never heard of this damn beast. And hey, I bet you are better at Math than I am! I'm kind of Dyscalcullia!
So I am crap at Math! And you know what, I accepted it more, I mean, I am still wanting to get better at it and try to follow training, but I accept that it takes time. With other stuff it's harder to accept, but with this it's easier for me, maybe u should try to accept it too that you can't be good at everything!

You do belong in Uni, you don't deserve to think like that. You seem a nice person and you should think of your own self worth. I know it's silly to say since I'm totally the same, but It's the first thing I see in your post that you need to change! :😛:

About expression yourself, that hurts a bunch eh, because of that damn beast. But there are so many ways to work on that. I hold speeches with myself sometimes (might sound silly) just to raise my voice when nobodies there and just say, HERE I AM AND NOBODIES GONNA GET ME NOW! or something like that. Just to feel that you can talk. Though it's painful I know but don't give into that feeling, SA is hard but you are willing to change right? You want so much so keep on training! 😉 It's like fitness. :😛:

And maybe you should take drama lessons, or musical lessons or theatre for expression? Or watch videos on youtube ''How to express myself more'' Or something like that.. And you could try cabaret training, to learn to make jokes. A lot of people like that!

Hey, good luck my friend, and please express yourself the way you are from the inside and from the outside might be different but there is always a different person in a social phobic..... I know that! 🙂

i accepted the fact that I'm maybe a little below average(maybe I'm not and its just in my mind), but still am graceful and feel lucky to have what i have.

hey falkor, thanks for taking so much time for your post, yes, i try to change and accept myself how i am and also see the good sides, but its difficult as yu may know.

Gaucho said: ↑

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?

Be proud that you can make it to university. I must be real stupid because with my grades I can't even get into any university.

Ashiene said: ↑

Be proud that you can make it to university. I must be real stupid because with my grades I can't even get into any university.

I don't think your grades make you stupid. I see intelligence of something other than genetics. One point I used to get bad grades in school, but then I turned into an honor student. A persons environment and what they go through can deeply affect their focus. I also know some dropouts that are smarter than graduates. I agree with you too, I am not trying to make your first statement any less.

Gaucho said: ↑

i accepted the fact that I'm maybe a little below average(maybe I'm not and its just in my mind), but still am graceful and feel lucky to have what i have.

hey falkor, thanks for taking so much time for your post, yes, i try to change and accept myself how i am and also see the good side, but its try difficult as yu also may know.

It's hard to do a university. I could not put up with it, which is why I aim for smaller colleges. You should not be so hard on yourself because I think that is an accomplishment because not everyone has the opportunity as Ashiene previously said and I agree. Plus not all people can even survive a week in that environment. I think you're way smarter than what you give yourself credit for. I also found out that some may equate how smart someone is by they way they express themselves. Why don't you think you don't have the qualities of a smart person? Sorry if you've already addressed this, you don't have to answer, I am just wondering.

I always felt like I was incredibly stupid, that's why I didn't go to college after high school.
It didn't help that I had a bad time in high school and did not want another 4 or 5 years of the same crap, but eventually I did go because I was sick of being in a food service type job. I had a car wreck and had to drop out and haven't gone back yet, but the point is I surprised myself by doing surprisingly well, sure people still use bigger words than me or can do math faster than me, but once I got through that initial "let's see how bad I'll do" period I started to be more comfortable with my intelligence.
The point is, don't let other people who are better at you at a certain thing, or a certain few things, let it get to you too much.
I once had a friend who asked me what "you're on point" meant, I thought that was very basic military lingo, and this guy didn't know it, I was very surprised.

I am intelligant but can't show it, due to my lack of social/communiction skills. I can show people, then they ask me to explain it, and I can't. It dosen't make sense to them, and they often mock what I say or twist my words around, so I don't bother.

Imagine being as smart as Einstein, and not having the communication skills to explain any of your smartness. Really sucks, eh?