Intelligence as Neurodivergence
Intelligence as a Form of Neurodivergence: Understanding the Hidden Challenges of High Cognitive Ability
There’s been a lot of support lately on TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms for understanding forms of neurodivergence that have long been underdiagnosed. With increased awareness of high-masking Autism, or the ways that ADHD can present differently in women and minority populations, more and more people have felt seen and understood through the label of neurodivergence.
I’ve also recognized a rather troubling phenomenon—rather than looking at full spectrum criteria to find nuanced and specific ways of identifying, sometimes people will begin judging themselves or one another based on just a single trait. Sensory sensitivity, for example, is present in lots of people, not just people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but awareness of this trait as a component of Autism has led many to self-diagnose or diagnose their friends and loved ones, often with distancing or pathologizing consequences.
I have a personal opinion that this phenomenon is especially prevalent with gifted individuals. As a person who grew up with both the advantages and challenges of being singled out as “gifted” (testing as someone with a genius-level IQ and receiving special awards for outlier placement in the John’s Hopkin’s “Center for Talented Youth” (CTY) experiment based on high SAT scores at age 12) I understand this form of exceptionalism personally. Also, as a research-minded person even then, I learned very quickly that high-IQ individuals are not destined to be the philosopher kings of society—that instead they have a higher than average chance of ending up in jail, addicted to substances, and having problematic relationships. The entire Center For Talented Youth experiment, which began with grand notions that smart people were better positioned to serve society with useful breakthroughs and great leadership potential, tracked all of the gifted who qualified and found that we weren’t any more likely than anyone else to end up at a good college, or to be high earners. While CTY remains a well-respected program, it no longer leads with the research angle. It positions itself like any elite and profitable education program, highlighting its goals and hopes, referencing participants who enjoyed it, but they don’t point to statistics of future excellence because they simply do not exist.
Without a framework of understanding and working with both the advantages and challenges of high cognitive abilities, intelligent and sensitive individuals are left feeling like there is something deeply wrong with them for not achieving success, and, in my view, are likely to self-pathologize. It isn’t socially acceptable to say that one suffers from intelligence, it’s meant simply to be a boon. But the research tells a different story.
Your Brain Really Is Different
Recent neuroimaging studies confirm what many highly intelligent people have long suspected: their brains are structurally and functionally different. Research published in prestigious journals like Molecular Psychiatry and Brain Structure and Function shows that general intelligence is positively associated with cortical thickness in areas throughout both brain hemispheres. Studies have found that cortical thickness explains approximately 5% of the variance in intelligence among individuals.
At the cellular level, research from the Human Brain Project has discovered that more intelligent people have bigger and faster neurons with different signal processing capabilities. The Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory has mapped how intelligence-related brain regions show variations in frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital cortex areas.
Perhaps most importantly, functional connectivity research reveals that in intelligent individuals, certain brain regions are more strongly involved in information flow between areas, while other regions are less engaged. This different neural “wiring” affects not just how you think, but how you experience emotions and sensory input.
When Your Senses Feel Too Much
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by sounds, textures, or visual stimuli that don’t seem to bother others, research validates your experience. Studies have found that many gifted individuals have heightened sensitivity to the world around them, experiencing what researchers describe as “hyper-awareness” that can increase physical discomfort from loud noises, scratchy fabrics, or busy environments.
Many highly intelligent people experience what feels like having “super-powered senses” – wonderful for appreciating subtle details and nuances, but sometimes overwhelming in everyday situations. When sensory overload occurs, you might experience anxiety, irritability, restlessness, physical discomfort, an urge to cover your ears or eyes, stress, fear, or panic.
This isn’t weakness or oversensitivity – it’s a documented aspect of how your differently-wired brain processes sensory information.
The Emotional Intensity of a Gifted Mind
The relationship between intelligence and emotional struggles is complex and often misunderstood. While research shows that gifted individuals don’t necessarily experience anxiety and depression at higher rates than the general population, the reasons behind their emotional challenges are often fundamentally different and more complex.
Many highly intelligent people experience what psychologists call “overexcitabilities” – intensities in emotional, intellectual, sensory, psychomotor, and imaginational domains. When these intensities combine, they can create overwhelming internal experiences. Research shows that when imaginational intensity co-exists with sensory sensitivity, it can even lead to panic attacks.
You might also struggle with what researchers term “premature existential depression” – grappling with complex philosophical and existential questions before your emotional development can fully support processing such weighty concepts. This can leave you feeling isolated in concerns that others your age don’t seem to share or understand.
The Social Challenge of Being Different
If you’ve felt socially isolated or struggled to connect with peers, research shows this is a common experience for highly intelligent individuals. Social asynchrony – where your intellectual abilities significantly outpace emotional and social development – can make relationships challenging.
Studies indicate that families with gifted children often experience higher levels of anxiety trying to meet their unique needs, and many feel inadequately equipped to handle the complex challenges that come with high intelligence. This can leave you feeling misunderstood even by those closest to you.
The Hidden Struggles You Might Recognize
Your high intelligence might come with challenges like:
• Perfectionism that paralyzes rather than motivates you
• Racing thoughts that interfere with sleep or daily functioning
• Emotional intensity that feels overwhelming or inappropriate
• Sensory overwhelm in environments others find comfortable
• Existential anxiety about life’s big questions
• Social isolation from feeling fundamentally different
• Imposter syndrome despite your obvious capabilities
• Analysis paralysis from seeing too many possibilities or potential problems
You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone
Understanding intelligence as a form of neurodivergence can be validating – your struggles are real, even when others expect you to be thriving because of your capabilities. The challenges that come with heightened sensitivities and intensities are genuine, not character flaws or personal shortcomings.
Therapy specifically tailored to the gifted experience can help you develop coping strategies for sensory overwhelm, learn to manage emotional intensities, address existential concerns in healthy ways, and develop social skills that work with your different processing style rather than against it. Working with a therapist who understands the unique challenges of high intelligence can provide the support you need to thrive with your neurodivergent mind, rather than despite it. You are welcome to schedule a consultation with me to see whether my style of therapy might be a good fit.