Children with high IQ’s predisposed to bipolar disorder

According to the University of Glasgow, researchers at the school performed a study and found that children with high IQs are prone to having bipolar disorder later in life.

The study
Researchers used data from the over 14,000 women, their partners and their children who were involved in a 90's birth cohort, officially deemed the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children aka ALSPAC​. Information about the children's IQs at age 8 was gathered through verbal and performance IQ testing. Their manic tendencies during the ages 22 and 23 were also studied. 

Children who scored in the highest 10 percent of manic features had an average childhood IQ about 10 points higher than the studies young participants in the lowest 10 percent of manic features. Professor Daniel Smith of the University of Glasgow's Institute of Health & Wellbeing said there is likely a biological relationship between high creativity, intelligence and bipolar disorders. He mentioned the link needs to be more fully explored to understand the tie between the two and how that information can be used to better predict and treat bipolar disorder.

Bipolar geniuses
There are many people throughout history who had extremely high IQs and creative abilities and were also likely coping with bipolar disorder. Mental Floss postulated that Ludwig Von Beethoven probably experienced the condition as he went from extreme manic periods of composing to flights of rage at parties. The publication also mentioned that Winston Churchill may have struggled with bipolar. The famous leader underwent mild manic phases, quick changing moods and periods of depression. 

Spotting bipolar disorder
If you are the parent of a child with a high IQ, it's not a bad idea to understand a bit about bipolar disorder so you can keep an eye on your son or daughter's mental health. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms commonly experienced by individuals who have the condition include:

  • Acting unusual or out of character
  • Speaking quickly about a variety of topics
  • Having difficulty sleeping, restlessness
  • Experiencing a short temper
  • Having difficulty focusing
  • Being prone to doing dangerous things

In particular, children and teenagers are likely to also be coping with stomach or head pain, sadness and feelings of guilt, and eating a lot or a little. Some younger people also have a lack of energy and no interest in activities they would normally enjoy. If you are concerned that your high-IQ child may exhibit these symptoms, consider taking him or her to see a doctor.

One Response to Children with high IQ’s predisposed to bipolar disorder

  1. Maria December 20, 2015 at 7:59 pm #

    Yes it is very common . in fact imnonsia is a symoptom of Bipolar. However, just having imnonsia does not mean you have Bipolar .. there are many other symptoms you have to have too. Everyone has moods like those of Bipolar Disorder . because everyone has mood swings, momentary loss of judgment, likes to go shopping, likes sex, feels down sometimes, gets angry now and then and is hyper on occasion. The difference is that all of these symptoms in Bipolar are so intense that they interfere with your ability to function. Think of a pole (biPOLEr) with 0 at the center (0 being normal) and 10 at one end (manic) and -10 at the other (deep depression). Most people have swings but stay within 3 to -3. I have fairly severe Bipolar 1 but since my psychosis is mild I go from -9 to 9 . Also depression that comes and goes is not bipolar but just recurring depression, you have to have mania for it to be Bipolar .. you have to go to both ends of the pole.Rapidly changing emotions or becoming angry or sad easily is not all there is to Bipolar. That is just having emotions. People with Bipolar Disorder do not just change emotions quickly, they go through periods of depression followed by periods of mania or elevated mood. Mood affects everything about you . your energy level, self esteem, sleep patterns, appetite, sexuality, emotional response, judgment, etc .. not just your emotions. And while rapid cycling is possible, it is rare. The average person with Bipolar only cycles two or three times a year and the moods last for weeks or months. It is considered rapid cycling if they cycle 4 or more times in a year.While everyone with Bipolar has a different set of symptoms and a different severity of symptoms, this is what Bipolar is like for me:Depression too tired to get out of bed, shower, even to brush my teeth. Cry all the time, sleep 16 hours a day. Feelings of self loathing and guilt that drive me to think of suicide but I’m to tired to even think about how to go about killing myself. It makes you feel small and worthless and completely insignificant. It makes you think about how big the world is and how meaningless you are in it .. and it refuses to let you have any good thoughts or see any good things . when you look in the mirror all you see is pain, you don’t even see yourself, you don’t taste your favorite foods anymore, see that flowers are blooming, whether or not the sun is out, you become so inward that you hardly even notice your surroundings .. You don’t even feel love for people anymore . positive thoughts are just not possible it is a deep dark hole with no way out and no light for hope . and most of all it makes you feel sooooo alone. And even if there were someone who cared about you they would be better off if you killed yourself . because all you will ever be is a burden . this can last from a couple of weeks to a couple of years.Mania Way too happy! PARTY GIRL! love drink and drugs. Talk really fast and pressured because my thoughts are going faster than my mouth can keep up with. Hypersexual like I sleep with strangers and guys I just met on the internet or I masturbate 10 times a day. I once became bisexual because there were twice as many people to sleep with. down load porn and spend tons of money on sex toys. Spending sprees .. I once spent my mortgage money on african violets, yep, $1500 on African violets (then I got depressed and let them all die). Quit my job because I wanted my vacation pay for lottery tickets and I was so convinced I would win that I started shopping and writing bad checks because I’d be rich as soon as the numbers were drawn. Decided that I could replace the furnace in my home by myself I mean how hard can it be .. Only sleep 2 or maybe 3 hours a night for months on end and never feel tired. In the end I was unemployed, $30,000 in debt, and had almost lost my home, which needed a new furnace because I had removed the old one.. or parts of it anyway. This can last for months.I also have mixed states when I am depressed and manic at the same time which are truly the worst By body and mind are depressed but there is this undercurrent of energy running all the time .. I’m highly emotional but the emotions tend to be negative (guilt and anger) I have intrusive thoughts and urges to mutilate myself (like wanting to stick my hands in the garbage disposal or cooking them on the BBQ), and I also have psychotic episodes where I hallucinate. This is when I am most suseptible to suicide because I am depressed, wanting to hurt myself, and I have the mental energy to plan and carry it out.

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