# Is personality disorders on average high in intelligent minds? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 20, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-personality-disorders-on-average-high-in-intelligent-minds/162811 "2003-03-20T14:49:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-personality-disorders-on-average-high-in-intelligent-minds/162811/21 "2003-03-22T16:09:17Z")
I suspect that people often have a hard time understanding the _values_ and _thought processes_ of the highly intelligent. For example, they may wonder “Why isn’t Billy-Boy following the crowd?” or “Why is Bobbi so fascinated by \? It’s so boring!” To the casual observer, this mean seem like borderline mental illness – hence the perception that geniuses tend to be mentally unstable. Just a WAG, but I think it has merit. ---
**Author:** ![Lovey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Lovey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lovey)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-personality-disorders-on-average-high-in-intelligent-minds/162811/22 "2003-03-22T16:28:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*I’m exteremely intelligent. I don’t have any personality disorders…and neither do I. \*\* Exceptions proove the rule :D:D ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-personality-disorders-on-average-high-in-intelligent-minds/162811/23 "2003-03-22T18:19:14Z")
Following **JThunder** ’s description: Wouldn’t a person in such circumstances (i.e., a social outcast), be more vulnerable to psychological problems? ---
**Author:** ![greck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ab992/32.png) [@greck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greck)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-personality-disorders-on-average-high-in-intelligent-minds/162811/24 "2003-03-24T15:42:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*I suspect that people often have a hard time understanding the _values_ and _thought processes_ of the highly intelligent. For example, they may wonder “Why isn’t Billy-Boy following the crowd?” or “Why is Bobbi so fascinated by \? It’s so boring!” To the casual observer, this mean seem like borderline mental illness – hence the perception that geniuses tend to be mentally unstable. > > Just a WAG, but I think it has merit. \*\* I don’t think so. You’d first have to establish that intelligence and non-conformity are correlated; which I’ve never seen anything in research to suggest. Values certainly transcend intelligence; I mean, it’s not like smart people like honesty or integrity more than the less intelligent. And the thought processes are the same regardless of intelligence. I assume we’re talking about the “school friendly” intelligences here; verbal for instance rather than kinesthetic. I mean, does anyone think Michael Jordan’s ability to dunk (ability to quickly translate an idea into a physical operation, adjust physically to circumstances, etc.) probably puts him over the edge mentally? Mental illness is generally (very generally) caused by a combination of: 1. heredity 2. stress ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-personality-disorders-on-average-high-in-intelligent-minds/162811/25 "2003-03-24T18:04:48Z")
**OP Title** : > [@](#): > > Is personality disorders on average high in intelligent minds? Rarely is the question asked – is our children learning? […must be contagious or something…] **regurgit8** : > [@](#): > > To any paranoid schizophrencis (or whatever) who want to make up for their lack of sanity with the tired old excuse: “Well, I’ve done gone over the edge because I’m so damn smart and realistic; I see things that others can’t see”, I say: Don’t flatter yourselves. Get a job or something, then you won’t have so much time to think. I’m a fully employed, tax-paying, professional paranoid schizzy. I can indeed see something that, judging from your post, you cannot see. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-personality-disorders-on-average-high-in-intelligent-minds/162811.md?page=1)