highly gifted IQ and above : Question

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This can be tricky to answer, as AS is a spectrum. People can be affected differently simply because they are different from one another. Not everyone has the same traits, so it may be an apples to oranges comparison. I will give you my story.

I had an IQ test done in my youth (3rd grade). It showed that I was in the highly to extraordinary gifted levels. The school had never seen someone like me before. My reading comprehension at the time was equal to a high school graduate. By middle school, I was at graduate school level and by high school I was at post doctoral level in reading/understanding. My science, history and math abilities were always very strong when compared to others in my class level. But all was not well. It can be very lonely when you are so different from everyone around you.

Many teachers were confused on what to do with me because I was too advanced for the material in most of my classes, yet was socially behind by about two years from everyone else. I was severely bullied due to this issue. Autism at the time was only though of in severe cases. Aspergers was not defined at that point in time (1980s). After graduating with my PhD, I set out to understand why I was so unusual. I did not self-identify until I was in my 40s. I always knew I was different, but could not put my finger on why.

I have certain abilities that are very high level, but I do not think of them to be savant. One of them involves being able to do extreme mental visualizations. It allows me to “see” inside of particles to understand how they are formed and put together with energy. (Nikola Tesla had a similar ability with electrical devices. He could run simulations of experiments in his mind and fix problems before drawing them out on paper.) I often use my visualization ability to understand how the universe is made. But, not everything is easy. It sucks to not be able to describe to my friends some of what I know as it goes above their ability to comprehend. That can cause me to become depressed at times. What good is the ability if it cannot be shared?

My experiences probably cannot answer the question as well as you would like. Sorry about that, I am only one human in a world of different people.

In short run - yes. My husband even claims my workarounds for dyspraxia are achievement of my intelligence.
In long run - at the cost of mental health. You're navigating a minefield every waking hour of your life.

Maybe in the long medium run, when you realize how many "gaps in your capabilities" haven't been worked around and you care about that. After a time, though, I stopped caring so much--at some level I decided I was OK and it was the world around me that was wrong. Later I learned about the spectrum and that I was on it--I really was on the "Wrong Planet"!

My viewpoint on this lead me to an odd, nonstandard, incorrect personal conclusion about the puzzle-pattern associated with Autism. I thought it was an appropriate symbol for my impression of the world and allistics: I thought they were a bit puzzling! It also entertained me when I first looked up what the colors were for awareness ribbons for my bride's ADHD and my being on the spectrum. I told her the color for ADHD awareness ribbons was orange; she then asked me "What's the color for autism awareness ribbons?" I enjoyed responding "It's complicated."

P.S. I encourage anyone with an IQ in the top 2% of the population to consider joining Mensa. It's just a social group for folk with that difference...with no assertion of superiority, just similarity--I suppose it's a little like WP in that sense.

It sucks to not be able to describe to my friends some of what I know as it goes above their ability to comprehend. That can cause me to become depressed at times. What good is the ability if it cannot be shared?
.

One of my frustrating projects has been to get about half the engineers who need to use the Froude equations to use them, even though the other half do so routinely. Ocean freighters should be getting about 20% better mileage, but nobody wants to rock the boat.

Hello QuantumChemist!
I have been confused because I have similar experiences. I can dive very deeply and imagine physics equations working in real time and apply it to my consciousness which gives me insight to how things may actually be in this world.

I am 27 now. It seems my Heart has self-identified with ASD last night and I got very confused as to why it did that. I had suspicions about ASD for a long time but let it go eventually.
A diagnosis from a professional is absolutely not needed for me anymore, as I have learned how to cope through very rough experiences, a diagnosis would be futile in terms of usefulness.

I guess being some level of genuinely gifted has its good and bad points. I just have a Ratner level mind that gets mistaken for medium level Cartier sometimes.

Maybe in the long medium run, when you realize how many "gaps in your capabilities" haven't been worked around and you care about that. After a time, though, I stopped caring so much--at some level I decided I was OK and it was the world around me that was wrong. Later I learned about the spectrum and that I was on it--I really was on the "Wrong Planet"!

My viewpoint on this lead me to an odd, nonstandard, incorrect personal conclusion about the puzzle-pattern associated with Autism. I thought it was an appropriate symbol for my impression of the world and allistics: I thought they were a bit puzzling! It also entertained me when I first looked up what the colors were for awareness ribbons for my bride's ADHD and my being on the spectrum. I told her the color for ADHD awareness ribbons was orange; she then asked me "What's the color for autism awareness ribbons?" I enjoyed responding "It's complicated."

P.S. I encourage anyone with an IQ in the top 2% of the population to consider joining Mensa. It's just a social group for folk with that difference...with no assertion of superiority, just similarity--I suppose it's a little like WP in that sense.

Using IQ to substitute for EQ uses up all the IQ and then produces the answer far too late for it to be useful. IQ can be used to "game the system" but that conflicts with the honesty and integrity that come from being confused and assuming that people would not further confuse the issues with lies, just mistakes. Instead, IQ can do what it does best, to enjoy life in private, and just minimize attempts to communicate. Glen Gould could be an example - he gave up playing concerts to focus on studio masterpieces.

Brands of watches, I believe. A Cartier is a luxury brand of watch.

What are these?

Ratner was known for cheap, not too good quality jewellery and watches. Cartier is known for selling high class jewellery and watches.

Wouldn't intelligence be useful in finding ways to work around the gaps in your capabilities?