high IQ + ADD + burnout + anxiety?

[very_confused09]

Hi,
I'm high IQ, PhD and good at more than one field, mainly Computers, Sciences and visual Arts.

If I were motivated, I could "earn" from any of them. I'm not the next Einstein, Maxwell or Fermi or any of the greatest but I do have talent. At least better than most of my peers. I do have a job but I am burned out.

Burned out because of excessive hyper-focussed work I did while being anxious at the same time. Simultaneously, some personal life events followed.

Now, all I need to do is do some work everyday, with discipline but here my ADD comes in the way. There is no plan. Its all procrastination and internet. Important things are certainly pending (since years!).

I still indulge in visual arts and have been told I am good at those too. From what I understand, I need to manage this ADD + burnout + anxiety thing.

[CheekyMonkey]

Yes, I know that story well.

Are you currently taking any meds?

[Etcetera]

I was in the same situation as you, except I had not received any higher education (yet). Hence why I decided to f it all and go back to school, hoping the structure of school can help me get back on track. School is supportive and forgiving and may just give me enough successes to stop thinking of myself as a failure. It could also have an adverse effect, but to me, it was the only thing left that I could do to fix me.

I think most important is to figure out what you need... Structure? Positive support? A few successes?
We'll still have ADHD, but the combination of ADHD, high IQ and burnout and anxiety can work extremely paralyzing.

[faller]

What is your job and what is you PhD in?

[faye64]

I haven't worked in 6 years, but I know I need to since I'm about to have 2 children in college, and my husband is subtly hinting. I'm not sure what a nervous breakdown is, but I think I might have had one had I continued working back then. I think I can manage ADD symptoms, but I dread working because of depression and anxiety. Then, there's the problem of wanting to start a job in a field very different than my degree, and in which I have no experience, but that's a whole other issue.

Does visual art mean acting? In which of your fields would you like to work? I hope you are able to start feeling better and find a job you enjoy. Hopefully your symptoms will be more manageable if you really like your job. Keep us posted.

[known_guy]

I can relate. I don't know how reliable online IQ testing is, but according to them my IQ is high. I'm struggling to continue with my academic aspirations; I am struggling to finish up my BS in Computer Science, impatiently waiting for moving on to higher studies. I'm not sure I have the "spark" or innate talent in order to produce a strong original thesis... I know if I put in the work I can get the degree, but that's not what matters to me.

[ToneTone]

I'll be honest,

I'm not sure what your problems have to do at all with high IQ, Phd or noD.

We all face the same set of problems. How to find good work in the world. How to get love, how to establish connections, how to feel good about ourselves, how to find a deeper meaning or purpose, how to come to terms with our mortality.

There is nothing special in the quest for these things for super smart people or less intelligent people. The quest for these things might take place in different contexts. But the high-school grad can face anxiety as much as the college professor. The high-school grad may not talk about it as much as a highly educated person might. But that doesn't mean he doesn't suffer it.

What super intelligent people are able to do--which is actually a downside--is to tell themselves elaborate stories with complex theories that justify why they are living a miserable life. I have a close friend like this. Highly intellectual, with a Phd, he refused to get help until he fell deep down the well of depression. By some fluke, he happened to go to a psychiatrist at a prestigious university and somehow that psychiatrist talked him into trying an anti-depressant. My friend's mood changed over night, and he couldn't believe it. And he was totally delighted.

Poor guy had spent the better part of a decade convinced that his misery was on account of his intelligence and sensitivity to the world.

To state the obvious, cognitive intelligence does not equate with social intelligence (how to connect with others, which is a huge part of success and happiness in the world). Nor does cognitive intelligence equate with emotional intelligence (understanding ourselves and being able to regulate our moods constructively through life's ups and downs, which is also a huge part of our ability to navigate in the world).

Of course, cognitive intelligence applied skillfully is an enormous asset as it allows people to think and figure their way out. But absent emotional intelligence or social intelligence, its effectiveness in helping us live a good life can be thwarted and stymied.

But say more, if you will, about what you think intelligence has to do with all this.

Anyway, good luck.

Tone

[tortilaman]

Originally Posted by very_confused09

Hi,
I'm high IQ, PhD and good at more than one field, mainly Computers, Sciences and visual Arts.

If I were motivated, I could "earn" from any of them. I'm not the next Einstein, Maxwell or Fermi or any of the greatest but I do have talent. At least better than most of my peers. I do have a job but I am burned out.

Burned out because of excessive hyper-focussed work I did while being anxious at the same time. Simultaneously, some personal life events followed.

Now, all I need to do is do some work everyday, with discipline but here my ADD comes in the way. There is no plan. Its all procrastination and internet. Important things are certainly pending (since years!).

I still indulge in visual arts and have been told I am good at those too. From what I understand, I need to manage this ADD + burnout + anxiety thing.

I am an intelligent person who is proficient in multiple fields and disciplines. I could be a chef, I could do computer science, I could do design, I could do engineering, I could do a lot of things. Unlike yourself though, I unfortunately don't have a degree yet. I'm still at community college, applying to transfer this year. Like yourself I'm either hyperfocused or off in the clouds.

I know others have asked, but the single most significant thing you can do is probably meds if you haven't started already. In terms of anxiety, getting things off your mind is probably good. If you have a bunch of things you need to do or something constantly swirling in your head, it would be good to get some sort of system for dealing with that, maybe GTD or something, but also counselling might be a help. I wouldn't go changing careers if you can figure out something else that will work though. That kinda depends on your job and your degrees though.

[Rocket Man]

FWIW, I would suggest talking with a counselor. Without going into much detail, your story sounds surprisingly similar to the one I told myself for the past few years. Although I'm borderline ADD, anxiety and career burnout (depression) made the symptoms much worse and unmanageable.

I avoided counseling like the plague (classic male response I guess), I've always considered myself pretty well self-actualized. IQ, degrees, and success can actually be a mental stumbling block to dealing with the root of the problem and getting the help you need. Been there, done that. Find a good psychiatrist/counselor. Hope this helps! Good luck.