Mentally Gifted vs. Mentally Ill

Are you doing therapy? Has worked wonders for me

 

They are just words & words as well as diagnosis's that can change. as a kid I was "high strung" then it became adhd. maybe next I'll be the normal one. it's a fine line between insanity and genius and who says they are mutually exclusive? there are some very smart people in phych units. help is help take it when/where you can IMO. I may not be "normal" but I wouldn't trade what I have for it.

 

That's certainly a take, and it does happen; at least to me, I was "treated" with doses of physical discipline and later Ritalin in the 70s and early 80s, probably because I was one of 8 kids in a poor family and the "difficult" one.

It was later found that I excelled in several areas of study and "acted out" due to boredom, also due to a lot of compulsive behavior that was at odds with the school structure, I also had behavioral problems until I figured out how to "work within the system" and a healthy understanding that "we aren't changing a system designed for the other 400 kids to accommodate this one".

Both of my children were recently identified with similar gifts and compulsive drawbacks, and I'm very happy that they will have parents who can understand, develop and financially support the additional instruction needed for such children (if I don't cock it up) at ages over a decade sooner than I was identified.

Anyway here's the point, I was lucky, my kids were lucky, and I have many other friends or family with much more debilitating disorders. For example, my sister's son who is 4 has operational dissaffective disorder, which has caused him to be removed from over 14 daycares in 2 years. Without going into what I see as some obvious issues with ehr parenting of this child, one of the biggest hangups has been her insistence despite all professional and anecdotal evidence, her child is just a "misunderstood child savant".

Could this child be brilliant, possibly, but not before they help him to cope with his unique view of the world and impart an understanding of how to maximize what you got while minimizing the downsides, coupled with a healthy dose of "the world doesn't revolve around you, get over it" therapy.

I also am continually feeling limited in my life due to unresolved compulsions or other mental issues which to this day I still work on, and some of which I may never resolve.

I guess my philosophy is this "almost anyone can excel mentally, provided they are instructed in a way which their brain processes that info most effectively". Pursuant to that my advice to any parent or individual that believes they may have a mental gift or disability is to first make an honest assessment of areas where you excel, and areas where you have anxiety or difficulty, make the connections, find the patterns, and design your life as much as possible to maximize your strengths and work on your weaknesses.

Without constant work on the weak parts, the strongest parts of the mind (I believe, and base this on only my own anecdotal life experiences) are held back by compulsion or anxiety, so its just as important to play to your strengths, as well as shore up any weak points.

I would posit that professional assistance can be useful in both identifying areas of both potential gift or disability in mental matters, because it is very hard for anyone to look at themselves critically and logically, and make these determinations.

I think a mind is like a piece of IKEA furniture, there is an outline, and some basic tools, but the ways in which you can assemble it are many, and some are more effective or efficient than others. I'd also end that while rare, there certainly are people who would look at the IKEA desk set of their mind, and realize no configuration will satisfy them, and instead opt to jury rig a shelf or some other item out of the parts.

Just don't forget, in a world of desks, if you choose to be a shelf, you can't hold it against people who may find it weird, off-putting or just plain stupid (to them), and to some extent, unless you want to live a (in my half-ass opinion) sad, angry and lonely hermetic life, you will have to tolerate or accommodate them, so long as you understand this is your choice, it helps a lot with personal empowerment in an age where so many things are out of control of the common person.

That's been my condensed take over the last 4-6 years or so as I observe my offspring deal with many of the issues I had as kids, and causes me to self reflect on my own upbringing and challenges faced, plus those yet to come.

 

I think people put far too much trust in the medical community.
Doctors are just people like you and me. They make mistakes all the time. Especially when trying to diagnose someone's brain and behavior after briefly meeting with them.

People will hear a doc give a diagnoses and then they will change their whole life because of it. Even when it's not accurate.

Trust yourself, not some guy who doesn't even know you.

 

DITTO, try Catholic school at 6,7,8 y/o & adhd in 1963, a uniform with tie, no running/play for 8 hrs, stict bhvr enforced (with a yardstick). & the topper after all this "we feel public school would be a better fit for him". YA THINK LOL

 

Don't get hung up on a diagnosis, a dx is req'd to be used for billing purposes. Some dx's reimburse more $ than others & they can change, So diff billing dx's can happen for the same person. EX. reimbursement for the cooties vaccination has gone up, Everyone coming into the office gets a cootie shot.

 

Mate, the only thing that saved me from a an entire 12 years of Catholic school was that by the time I was 8 or 9 my folks couldn't afford it (Ritalin and public school was cheaper). My brother was in high school though so he almost got the full 12 years, he also left the church at 18 when he joined the navy, ended up marrying a pretty hardcore atheist.

Truly the lord works in mysterious ways is pretty much my thoughts on all that.

 

Yep life has a way of kicking you in the nads now & again but at least it aint boring.

 

Anytime mate, just caught me at the right moment on my morning wake and bake and caffeine consumption, always better imo to reply to a real life relatable situation than read the news sometimes.

 

Thank You Sis. I Appreciate You Sayin That. Maybe It True Bout Me An I Don Have What Every1 Say I Do. But I Been With My Problems Since Before My Traumatic Brain Injury My Momma Tell Me That Why I Had a Drop School Ata Early Age I Got Way To Far Behind An It Was Too Much On My Mind So I Just Not Think About It Anymore An Not Focus On It Instead I Think Bout Other Tings. That What Still Happen To Me Everytimes Somebody Talk Bout Someting Ion Care About Lol.




~Toni~

 

HazelMoon,
I hope this is the right catagory for this thread, there is already a Mental Illness thread here but I thought this needed its own thread.
I was having one of my episodes where my "other world" (the world in my head that seems so real) was crashing in on me. All of a sudden I heard one woman's voice telling me..."Hazel... you're mentally ill? You are NOT mentally ill. You're gifted."
I had read about mentally gifted people who are misdiagnosed as children with mental illness diagnoses such as ADHD, autism, bipolar... when really they were mentally gifted. From what I read in these articles which I'll share, gifted people tend to be very sensitive and perceptive of the world around them and can see and understand things in great detail, picking up on emotions of others and understanding things sometimes beyond their years, as the case may be with children. I was aware as a child that there was a war going on and although I hid in a fantasy land to try to escape it, I would find myself understanding what they went through, soldiers fighting and dying in nasty ways. I have always remote-viewed. I didn't know what it meant but there it was. It overwhelmed and scared me so much, I acted out. Anxiety attacks, crying, reacting loudly and inappropriately to every little thing. Long and short, I was diagnosed with mental illness but when I read these articles, I had to think. Too often, people who just have different abilities and strengths than the "average" (whatever that means) person, are made out to be crazy, mentally unstable, whatever. What if many of us are walking around thinking we got bipolar or skitzophrenia but are really mentally gifted? Probably more than we know. I'm not sure if I'm right about myself but I'm certainly going to find out.
From what I learned so far, mentally Gifted people are mostly introverted, since there's so much high anxiety and sensitivity in busy environments. Many are also "verbally gifted" which means they talk a lot, sharing what they know and are learning. Many times these people are considered "too intense" or "too much.". This is so me lol.
Anyway it's just interesting. Here's the articles for more clarification.
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On this forum you have always replied in a normal fashion to me.
Level headed and polite.
I really didn't know exactly what mentally gifted meant so looked it.
Personally I think everyone should evaluate them self's by the definition of what category they that matches their personalities the best.

Mentally Gifted
Definition Related Definitions Mentally incapacitated Acutely mentally ill Mentally disabled Developmentally disabled person Mentally defective Physically incapacitated Disabled Totally Disabled Permanently and totally disabled Sexually motivated Mental, Nervous or Psychological Disorder Incapacitated Totally and Permanently Disabled Sexually oriented business Environmentally critical area Easily cleanable Gravely disabled Inaccessible Incapacitation Infested Dangerous weapon Critical Illness Disabled adult Socially and economically disadvantaged person Emotionally Disturbed Environmentally sensitive area Remove

Advertising Open Split View Share Cite Mentally gifted means an outstanding intellectual and creative ability the development of which requires specially designed programs or support services, or both, not ordinarily provided in the regular education program. Sample 1 Based on 1 documents Save Copy Remove Advertising Examples of Mentally gifted in a sentence Mentally gifted - Outstanding intellectual and creative ability the development of which requires specially designed programs or support services, or both, not ordinarily provided in the regular education program. A single member of the GMDT may meet two (2) or more of the specified qualifications.[4][5] Mentally gifted - outstanding intellectual and creative ability, the development of which requires specially designed programs and/or support services not ordinarily provided in the regular education program. Note: It is important to check the content and formatting of your document prior to converting it back to PDF and filing it with the court as the conversion may have changed some text.Also, ensure you have removed the filed date and image of the court seal. Instead it should pseocinutriMtySsoclauntioenxstecnadnteoxwisatrdwsitohtihnersudcehpantmeennvitrso. Mentally gifted is defined as “outstanding intellectual and creative ability, the development of which requires specially designed programs or support services, or both, if not ordinarily provided in the regular education program. Three hundred and forty businesses were provided with training on how to manage their businesses in the Erongo, Karas, Khomas, Oshikoto and Kavango Regions. Related to Mentally gifted Mentally incapacitated means that a person is rendered temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling his conduct owing to the influence of a narcotic or intoxicating substance administered to him without his consent, or to any other act committed upon him without his consent. Acutely mentally ill means a condition which is limited to a Mentally disabled means a “person who has a mental impairment which renders that person incapable of appraising the nature of the act.” R.I. Gen Laws § 11-37-1(4). Does developmental disability and/or mental incapacity impact the victim’s ability to consent?Yes. A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct if the actor engages in sexual battery with the victim and the actor knows or has reason to know that the victim is mentally defective, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless and aggravated force or aggravated coercion was not used to accomplish sexual battery. S.C. Code Ann. § 16-3-654(1)(b).“Mentally defective” means that a “person suffers from a mental disease or defect which renders the person temporarily or permanently incapable of appraising the nature of his or her conduct.” “Mentally incapacitated” means that a “person is rendered temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling his or her conduct whether this condition is produced by illness, defect, the influence of a substance or from some other cause.”“Physically helpless” means that a “person is unconscious, asleep, or for any other reason physically unable to communicate unwillingness to an act.” S.C. Code Ann. § 16-3-651(e)-(g). DoesYes, a person can be deemed incapable of consenting to sexual contact because of mental incapacity. S.D.developmentalCode §22-22-7.2.disability and/or mental incapacity impact the victim’s ability to consent? Does developmental disability and/or mental incapacity impact the victim’s ability to consent?Yes, it is aggravated sexual assault to commit an act of sexual penetration with a person that the actor knew or should have known was intellectually or mentally incapacitated, or has a mental disease or defect which renders the victim temporarily or permanently incapable of understanding the nature of his conduct, including, but not limited to, being incapable of providing consent. N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:14-2(a)(7).Consent is ineffective if: Developmentally disabled person means a person who has a disability defined in RCW 71A.10.020. RCW 26.44.020 Mentally defective means that a person suffers from a mental disease or defect which renders that person temporary or permanently incapable of appraising the nature of his or her conduct. 9 G.C.A. § 25.10(a)(4). Physically incapacitated means that a person has a bodily impairment or handicap that substantially limits the person’s ability to resist or flee. Disabled means Disabled within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder. Generally, this means that the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan covering Employees of the Employer. Totally Disabled means that because of an injury or illness: Permanently and totally disabled means the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve months as established by a certificate from a licensed physician or a written determination of disability from the social security administration or any federal or state agency that has authority to certify an individual’s disability. Sexually motivated ’ means that one of the purposes for which the defendant committed the crime was for the purpose of the defendant’s sexual gratification. Mental, Nervous or Psychological Disorder means a mental or nervous health condition including, but not limited to: anxiety, depression, neurosis, phobia, psychosis; or any related physical manifestation. Incapacitated means, (i) as to any individual Partner, death, total physical disability or entry by a court of competent jurisdiction adjudicating him or her incompetent to manage his or her Person or his or her estate; (ii) as to any corporation which is a Partner, the filing of a certificate of dissolution, or its equivalent, for the corporation or the revocation of its charter; (iii) as to any partnership which is a Partner, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the partnership; (iv) as to any estate which is a Partner, the distribution by the fiduciary of the estate’s entire interest in the Partnership; (v) as to any trustee of a trust which is a Partner, the termination of the trust (but not the substitution of a new trustee); or (vi) as to any Partner, the bankruptcy of such Partner. For purposes of this definition, bankruptcy of a Partner shall be deemed to have occurred when (a) the Partner commences a voluntary proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, (b) the Partner is adjudged as bankrupt or insolvent, or a final and nonappealable order for relief under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law now or hereafter in effect has been entered against the Partner, (c) the Partner executes and delivers a general assignment for the benefit of the Partner’s creditors, (d) the Partner files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the Partner in any proceeding of the nature described in clause (b) above, (e) the Partner seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver or liquidator for the Partner or for all or any substantial part of the Partner’s properties, (f) any proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief of or against such Partner under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect has not been dismissed within 120 days after the commencement thereof, (g) the appointment without the Partner’s consent or acquiescence of a trustee, receiver or liquidator has not been vacated or stayed within 90 days of such appointment, or (h) an appointment referred to in clause (g) is not vacated within 90 days after the expiration of any such stay. Totally and Permanently Disabled means a disability as defined in 42 USC 416. Sexually oriented business means an adult arcade, adult bookstore or adult video store, adult cabaret, adult motel, adult motion picture theater, adult theater, escort agency, nude model studio, or sexual encounter center. Environmentally critical area means an area or feature which is of significant environmental value, including but not limited to: stream corridors, natural heritage priority sites, habitats of endangered or threatened species, large areas of contiguous open space or upland forest, steep slopes, and well head protection and groundwater recharge areas. Habitats of endangered or threatened species are identified using the Department’s Landscape Project as approved by the Department’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program. Easily cleanable means that surfaces are readily accessible and made of such materials and finish and so fabricated that residue may be effectively removed by normal cleaning methods. Gravely disabled means a condition in which a person, as a Inaccessible means an Insured cannot reach his/her Destination by the original mode of transportation. Incapacitation means the state of being unable to physically or mentally make informed rational judgments and effectively communicate, and may include unconsciousness, sleep, or blackouts, and may result from the use of alcohol or other drugs. Where alcohol or other drugs are involved, evaluation of incapacitation requires an assessment of how the consumption of alcohol or drugs affects a person’s decision-making ability; awareness of consequences; ability to make informed, rational judgments; capacity to appreciate the nature and quality of the act; or level of consciousness. The assessment is based on objectively and reasonably apparent indications of incapacitation when viewed from the perspective of a sober, reasonable person. Infested means actually infested with a Boll Weevil or so exposed to infestation that it would be reasonable to believe that an infestation exists. Dangerous weapon means any weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, animate or inanimate, which under the circumstances in which it is used, attempted to be used, or threatened to be used is readily capable of causing death or serious physical injury. Critical Illness or “CI” means Diagnosis of any of the following Covered Conditions which occur directly as a result of illness, and first occur after the Effective Date of Insurance: Disabled adult means a person 18 years of age or older who suffers from a condition of physical or mental incapacitation due to a developmental disability, organic brain damage, or mental illness, or who has one or more physical or mental limitations that restrict the person’s ability to perform the normal activities of daily living. S. 825.101(4), F.S. Socially and economically disadvantaged person means an individual who is a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States and who is Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, Female; or a member of another group or an individual found to be disadvantaged by the Small Business Administration pursuant to Section 3 of the Small Business Act. Emotionally Disturbed means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a student's educational performance due to: Environmentally sensitive area means any area in which plant or animal life or their habitats are either rare or especially valuable because of their special nature or role in an ecosystem and which could be easily disturbed or degraded by human activities and developments.

 

Great thread, will read it all when I'm off.

Gonna leave these vids here, they helped me a lot.

 

You are gifted.

edit: I know, it's a long video. I watch bits here and there.

I also like this video:

 

Discliamer, wall of text incoming. If you want a more entertaining summary with inspirational music I'd direct you to Dr. Tyson on maximizing the potential of troubled but intelligent children below. Its 2.5 minutes



My best friend's wife is one of the top teachers on out-school (like an online tutoring platform) her specialty is a 3-day class 1 hour per evening teaching kids how to do multiplication up to 12s. I've seen kids that couldn't do 2*4 in less than 3 hours of instruction be able to do 12*8 effortlessly, and not via memorization, but by understanding the core concept of the multiplicative property.

I see it when my kids have a screaming meltdown at my wife, and when I come into the room its because for example my daughter has it stuck in her brain that she needs to make her own bed at 5 years old. Mom doesn't want this because she puts the sheets sideways or puts the comforter the wrong way up.

You have to sometimes intervene and explain that this is not whining or authority challenge, this is my daughter honestly in distress because she needs to make her own bed, and is being prevented from doing so for what my wife thinks is a trivial reason (if she wants to sleep sideways let her). She does challenge authority a lot too though so its always a delicate act and I'm sure mistakes were made along the way.

Likewise my son often had trouble with math, in that he could very easily spot the answers, and never learned the underlying concepts so as the problems got more difficult he started having issues. When I have time, I take something he likes (weapons and power tools / trucks, I mean hes 8) and tie it together.

"Lets cut a circle out of this board" followed by "how much wood do you think this 4 inch hole saw cut from the 2x10"? He doesn't have a clue, but that leads to a discussion about pi, and finding the area or circumference of a circle. If I get lucky, we'll also add the height of the cut circle and talk about surface area or volume of a cylinder.

However, its equally likely that he doesn't care about pi or geometry right now, and his pinball-brain bounces around to "how did people figure out pi"? Which lead to a discussion about Archimedes, and all the cool things he did invent, or tried to invent (like the fabled mirror heat laser he tried to use against invading naval vessels). That led to us using my big ass soldering magnifying glass to light paper on fire in the driveway.

For me, and having a smart kid, the hardest part is letting him indulge in the areas he wants to explore (ancient Greece, which went straight to the myths on instead of the scientific and philosophy advances of that age). I mean, yeah, what 8 year old boy wouldn't want to read about Jason and the Argonauts, or Heracles killing the Nemian Lion.

The key for me is finding ways to sneak lessons in around what he is already interested in. He really loved the story of Medusa, it is a good story, and he has reached the point where he understands most messages are more effective as entertainment or in how you present them.

"Soldiers should well care for their bodies and equipment" is the lesson right, but by shrouding it in a myth of a shield polished so highly it could be used as a mirror is even more effective (Can't see the medusa in a dirty or bloody shield).

It doesn't stop there though, it teaches thinking outside the box. "I need to kill medusa, but I can't look at her, but I can't swing my blade effectively with my eyes closed, what can I do with the materials on hand to rectify this"

My son oils and maintains the tools I've instructed him to use as good as I or in some cases better now, with the tagline "never know when there will be a medusa in the neighborhood", not because he actually expects one, but because he understands the maintenance concept behind the comment.

He's also into zombies, and loves my various chainsaws and tree trimming tools and blades and asks about them.

Rather then shit all over his ideas, I try to explain to him that chainsaws are typically designed for cutting hard trees and swinging one at a zombie would likely cause all kinds of kickback and stalls between the fleshy matter and the more dense bones, when a hand hatchet or stout machete is probably a much safer bet, unless you have a group of people that could be organized with polearms (man that lead to all kinds of cool stories about medieval pike and shot tactics, or sapping and undermining walls, all stuff he loves, and all stuff firmly rooted in physics, and to an extent psychology, as its much easier to stand your ground when you know your flanks are covered)

I realize there are thousands if not millions of children out there with exceptional gifts and sometimes handicaps who are dying on the vine so to speak because they don't have parents that can recognize disobedience versus distress or boredom. Children who may have parents trying even harder than I am, but due to lack of money or resources their children never reach their full potential (even if said potential is nothing more than overcoming dyslexia or similar).

It is a distressing time to live, but if I can give my own kids (and by extension, any kid) the kind of logical and critical thinking increasingly needed in a world where facts are perverted for personal or political gain, thats about all I can do, and while I might not like it, for now, its just gonna have to be enough.

 

A definition in search of a disease.