What are high intellectual abilities?
High intellectual abilities (HIA) are much more than "being very intelligent." They are a qualitatively different cognitive functioning that affects how a person thinks, feels, and perceives the world. People with HIA do not simply "think faster": they think differently.
Although the diagnosis is classically based on an IQ above 130 (approximately 2-3% of the population), high intellectual abilities go far beyond a number. Increasingly, they are considered a form of neurodivergence.
Characteristics of high intellectual abilities
Cognitive area
- Networked thinking: rapid connections between seemingly distant ideas
- Processing speed: grasping new concepts very quickly
- Insatiable curiosity: the need to understand "the why of things"
- Critical thinking: questioning authority and rules that don't make sense
- Capacity for deep concentration on subjects of interest (and extreme boredom with everything else)
Emotional area (Dabrowski's overexcitabilities)
- Emotional: feeling emotions very intensely; deep empathy; highly developed sense of justice
- Intellectual: constant need for learning; frustration when the environment is not stimulating
- Imaginative: very rich inner world; overflowing creativity
- Sensory: sharp perception of sounds, textures, smells, lights
- Psychomotor: intense physical energy; need for movement
Myths about high intellectual abilities
Myth: "If they're so intelligent, they must do well at school"
Reality: Many gifted children and adults have average or low academic performance (underachievement). Boredom, demotivation in the face of repetitive content, paralyzing perfectionism, and the co-occurrence of ADHD or dyslexia can mean that performance does not reflect potential.
Myth: "People with HIA don't suffer"
Reality: Emotional intensity, the feeling of "not fitting in," social isolation, perfectionism, and existential anxiety mean that many people with HIA suffer significantly. Depression and anxiety are common, especially when they don't feel understood.
Myth: "Having high intellectual abilities is a stroke of luck"
Reality: HIA brings real strengths, but also unique challenges. Dyssynchrony between intellectual and emotional development, difficulty finding peers, and pressure to "perform up to potential" can be sources of significant suffering.
Twice-exceptionality
Twice-exceptionality (2e) refers to people with high intellectual abilities who simultaneously present another neurodivergence: ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or learning disabilities. This creates complex profiles because:
- High intellectual abilities can mask the difficulties (the person compensates)
- The difficulties can mask the high intellectual abilities (performance is "average")
- Neither condition is detected, and the person lives with inexplicable frustration
Psychological support for people with HIA
Support focuses on:
- Self-knowledge: understanding your own profile, strengths, and needs
- Perfectionism: turning it from enemy into ally
- Emotional management: tools for emotional intensity
- Relationships: finding authentic ways to connect
- Processing past wounds: bullying, being misunderstood, rejection (EMDR can be very useful)
Do you recognize yourself?
If you have always felt "different," "too intense," or "too much of everything," it may be worth exploring whether high intellectual abilities are part of your experience. I offer a free informational session.