Having an IQ greater than 130 increases the risk of mental and physical disorders, concludes a study conducting in late 2017. The stereotype of ‘mad genius’ may have a basis in reality after a study carried out by researchers from the Psychology Department of Pitzer College, in the US, has revealed that people with a high intelligence quotient present an increased risk of developing mental illness.
The experts interviewed members of the American Mensa Society with an IQ higher than 130
Mensa has 120,000 members worldwide and to belong to this international gifted association you must obtain an IQ score within the upper 2% of the general population.
The respondents had to answer if at any time in their lives they had been diagnosed with a mental illness such as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or autism (autism spectrum disorder), as well as to show if they suffered from depression problems, changes in mood or anxiety, or if they suspected suffering from an undiagnosed mental illness and physiological illnesses.
After comparing these data with the national statistical average for each disease, they found an overwhelming result, namely, that the members of the Mensa community had significantly higher risks of developing mental illnesses in comparison with the average populations.
The intellectually gifted people are more sensitive to external stimuli
This research confirms the scientific hypothesis that suggests that intellectually gifted people are more sensitive to environmental stimuli and may predispose them to certain psychological disorders, as well as to physiological conditions that involve high sensory and immunological and inflammatory responses.
The study confirmed that due to their high levels of intelligence, those with higher intellectual quotients react more to their environment, which creates a hyper-brain scenario, where they show a hyperactive central nervous system.
In conclusion, this study revealed that having an IQ greater than 130 increases the risks of mental and physical disorder.
