Posted by just plain jane on January 2, 2005, at 15:19:53
In reply to Genius sufferers of mental disorder, posted by sdb on December 25, 2004, at 9:51:01
It never occurred to me until I read this thread that anyone would be surprised to find geniuses suffer mental/emotional illnesses, too.
According to my records and tests throughout my lifetime, I am a genius. My gifts lie in many areas, but my psychological illnesses, primarily those resulting from childhood abuse and from OCD, have prevented me from accomplishing anything noteworthy (by our societal standards).
Loss/lack of self esteem, self worth, confidence, can easily overshadow and downright squash anyone, geniuses included.
Fortunately (I consider it fortunate), although I can clearly see my illnesses and the manisfestations thereof, I am not driven to achieve fame or fortune. Simply contentment, acceptance, sharing my gifts to enrich the lives of others, and in the process myself, mostly things that do not make my parents proud like being the prestigious lawyer/doctor/scientist/shythead they would have liked to see me be. I have no social ambition, no desire to be better than anyone else; nor do I perceive anyone as better than I.
Perhaps that is the greatest genius God blessed me with.
poster:just plain jane
thread:434027
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20041226/msgs/436834.html