Buzz
It's no surprise that life tends to be easier for those with high intelligence, as they can quickly identify and address problems that others might struggle with. Intelligent individuals are also typically more successful and better educated, which is an obvious advantage.
However, just like with any positive trait, being exceptionally intelligent comes with its own set of challenges, some of which may surprise many. While it’s a problem most people may never face, those who do experience it may find that high intelligence brings along unexpected difficulties that affect their overall well-being.
10. Increased Risk of Mental Health Issues
Although intelligent people tend to live longer and have healthier lives, as you might expect, the reasons for this correlation are not entirely clear. The connection between intelligence and life expectancy is not fully understood, despite being observed.
When it comes to mental health issues such as mood disorders and anxiety, research reveals a surprising trend. A study focusing on Mensa members, who represent the top two percent of the population in terms of IQ, found that psychological disorders, particularly anxiety, are actually more common among them. Additionally, these individuals were found to be three times more likely to have environmental allergies compared to the national average, a correlation that remains unexplained.
The prevailing theory is that higher intelligence leads to a more sensitive body, one that reacts more intensely to external stressors. For example, a person with high intelligence may experience heightened anxiety at work, simply because they have a deeper understanding of the seriousness of a stressful situation.
9. Deteriorating Social Connections in Adulthood
It's a well-known fact that as we age, our circle of friends tends to shrink, which is often linked to the fact that we lead busier lives as adults than when we were younger. This natural progression happens to everyone. However, what's more surprising is that intelligent individuals are more likely to experience difficulties in their social relationships as they grow older compared to others.
A study conducted at Stockholm University explored how IQ affects the ability of adolescents to adjust socially. The findings revealed that highly intelligent people tend to struggle more when adapting to aging, particularly in terms of maintaining friendships. As they get older, they also report lower life satisfaction, a topic we’ll explore in more detail later.
8. Less Prone to Financial Responsibility
Financial responsibility often outweighs the importance of earning a lot, as long as basic needs are met. Many wealthy individuals in their later years would agree that 'every penny saved is a penny earned.' While this is certainly sound advice, it may seem logical that more intelligent people would be better at managing their finances. However, research reveals an unexpected reality.
A study by an Ohio State University researcher involving 7,400 Americans in their forties explored the relationship between IQ scores and earnings. It showed a clear connection, with each IQ point correlating to an annual income increase of $234 to $616. Yet, paradoxically, the study found that individuals with higher IQs were somewhat more likely to face financial difficulties compared to those with lower scores.
7. Challenges in the Early Stages of Evolution
A common belief is that intelligence provided early humans with a survival advantage, which makes sense at first glance. For instance, being able to assess the distance a predator might be by examining its footprints would certainly enhance one's ability to survive and reproduce. This ability to calculate and predict would seem to offer a clear edge in evolutionary terms.
While many studies suggest otherwise, being highly intelligent wouldn't necessarily have provided much of an edge during early human history. In fact, early humans were biologically equipped to solve the problems they faced, so extra intelligence wasn't as crucial. In modern times, being smart certainly helps—such as excelling at math for accounting jobs—but in the past, the need for intelligence wasn't as frequent, as new challenges were relatively rare.
Furthermore, people with higher intelligence tend to engage in riskier behaviors and often prefer solitude, confidently so. These traits would have been a disadvantage in earlier times, offering no particular advantage over others when it came to survival and interaction with the environment.
6. Increased Likelihood of Substance Abuse
It’s no secret that drugs are harmful. While some people might partake in them recreationally without severe consequences, more often than not, drugs lead to a destructive lifestyle. One would think that more intelligent people would avoid them, but studies suggest otherwise.
Research consistently shows that highly intelligent individuals are more likely to use hard drugs like cocaine and ecstasy, rather than their less intelligent counterparts. This finding continues to surprise researchers, as it defies conventional expectations. It's not about the mild substances like marijuana, but rather the more dangerous drugs.
While the exact reasons remain unclear, research suggests that the novelty of certain substances might play a role. Many modern drugs didn't exist throughout most of human history, and highly intelligent people could be more inclined to seek out new experiences. Additionally, they may believe they understand the risks involved better than others, even when, in reality, they probably don’t.
5. Less Likely to Challenge Their Own Biases
When discussing irrational beliefs, such as the flat Earth theory or denying evolution, we often assume that less intelligent people are more prone to them. This assumption holds true, as people with lower intelligence are indeed more likely to hold such beliefs. Higher intelligence typically leads to a greater reliance on reason and logic, making such beliefs less common.
However, the situation changes when it comes to self-reflection and reconsidering one's own views in light of undeniable evidence. Studies show that more cognitively capable individuals are less willing to change their stance, even when presented with facts that directly contradict their beliefs, regardless of how reasonable or unreasonable their original position may be. This is easier to spot in beliefs that are obviously misguided, like the flat Earth theory.
For example, individuals with strong scientific convictions may refuse to revise their beliefs, even after a new study conclusively disproves those beliefs, demonstrating the difficulty of challenging even the most logically flawed ideas.
4. More Prone to the Gambler’s Fallacy
The gambler’s fallacy is a common cognitive bias that many of us fall victim to due to the way our brains are wired. While explaining it in just one sentence can be tricky, the basic idea is that we tend to believe that an event, because it has occurred frequently in a given period, is less likely to occur in the future (or vice versa), even when there is no logical reason for this belief. This bias is particularly evident in gambling (which is where the term originates), where gamblers expect a different result in the next round based on the outcomes of previous rounds.
Interestingly, individuals with higher intelligence seem to be more susceptible to the gambler’s fallacy, as demonstrated in a study conducted with a group of highly intelligent Chinese college students. Although the exact reason remains unclear, it is speculated that smarter individuals may be more rigid in their emotional decision-making, preventing them from accurately assessing the likelihood of future events based on past results.
3. Less Likely to Experience Sexual Activity in Adolescence
If you’ve ever watched a movie about teenage life, you’ve probably encountered the classic 'virgin nerd' stereotype. This is the student who excels academically, often looking down on others, engaging in intellectual pursuits, and finishing school without ever having had a romantic or sexual partner. While these individuals may go on to become successful entrepreneurs or wealthy professionals (like we’ve seen in The Social Network), the lack of sexual experience during adolescence is often true for these characters. But does this stereotype hold up in real life?
Science confirms that movies got one thing absolutely right. A number of studies have shown that intelligent individuals are far less likely to engage in sexual activity at younger ages. And this doesn’t just apply to so-called 'nerds'—the pattern holds for anyone with a high IQ, as compared to those with average intelligence scores.
2. More Prone to Feelings of Unfulfillment
People with lower intellectual capabilities might believe that the key to their happiness and fulfillment lies in their intellect. If only they could master math or science, they imagine, they’d be able to leave their mundane jobs behind and live a life of total contentment. However, they’d be mistaken—high intellect doesn’t automatically lead to personal satisfaction if fulfillment is the ultimate goal.
At first glance, this might seem illogical, but consider this: Highly intelligent individuals often grow up believing that they can achieve anything. Yet, the real world has a way of showing us that no one can achieve everything, no matter how gifted they are. As a result, highly intelligent people are prone to dissatisfaction with their accomplishments, even when those achievements are objectively impressive.
This isn’t just an unfounded claim—research conducted over several decades on individuals with high IQs has consistently shown that high intelligence is closely linked to feelings of not having reached one’s full potential later in life.
1. More Prone to Feeling Overwhelmed Under Pressure
The ability to perform well under pressure is a highly valued skill in today’s competitive job market, making it a trait many boast about on their resumes, whether it’s accurate or not. Some people are naturally adept at handling high-stress situations, and interestingly, studies show that these individuals tend to have lower IQs compared to their highly intelligent peers.
As surprising as it may seem, research reveals that highly intelligent individuals are more likely to falter under pressure, particularly when the goal is related to performance or rewards. This may be due to their heightened anxiety about outcomes, as they’re used to succeeding effortlessly in the less demanding stages of their lives.
Interestingly, they perform better when goals are framed around learning rather than strict results. Thankfully, many jobs prioritize growth and learning opportunities over rigid monthly targets, making it easier for these individuals to thrive.
