Do you think that more intelligent people…

[ellencan]

are generally of lower mood, depressive tendencies etc?

No

No.

I think depression does not discriminate against intelligence or wealth- it can get anyone.

No

Yes.

No.

But I do remember some friends arguing about this when I was at Cambridge. As far as I was concerned, the one arguing the case for "no" won hands down.

I think it's a fairly common perception amongst some intelligent people, though. Academic and emotional intelligence don't always align.

So glad to see someone get oxbridge in within 6 posts. Mumsnet 🤣

😂😂
This is mumsnet !

I agree.

No discrimination at all when it comes to depression.

No.

No

Intelligence doesn't seem to correlate positively with neuroticism, which would be one of the major predictors of depression.

On the other hand I've read elsewhere that the more intelligent you are the more sensitive you are to environmental cues. If that's true then you'd expect intelligent people to be more impacted by living in the declining civilization that is the west and depression could be one response.

The five factor model of personality and intelligence: A twin study on the relationship between the two constructs - ScienceDirect

It's relevant to the thread. There are probably higher concentrations of very intelligent people in both Oxford and Cambridge than there are in most places. If the OP's theory is correct, they should be utterly miserable places. They are not.

No

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves So just a bit of phenomenological research, not the usual need for someone over 40 to let everyone know what uni they went to. Totally normal behaviour.

I know depression generally correlates with low socioeconomic status. It also seems to correlate with lower levels of education, which of course are partly caused by lower intelligence. So no I don't think that holds up.

'A lower education level has been found to be associated with poorer mental health, and with a greater risk of developing mental health disorders 15].'

The five factor model of personality and intelligence: A twin study on the relationship between the two constructs - ScienceDirect

I think depression does not discriminate. HOWEVER I think sometimes more intelligent people hold themselves to a higher standard and therefore are more likely to push themselves and experience disappointment/stress that comes from that. People who are more willing to accept a.. shall we say simpler life, and that might not be link with intelligence but sometimes is, will have less of that stress. For example I know families who have never given a single consideration to education, did the bare legally required minimum at school, got the first minimum wage job that’ll have them, generation upon generation living in council properties… and none of them striving for any more than that. I sometimes think that would be a less stressful way to live? They don’t appear to have put any pressure of themselves to improve their lives / careers…

Depression does discriminate based on wealth. It's well established that it correlates negatively with socioeconomic status. The fact that anyone can get depressed doesn't change that.

I'm torn on this one... typically intelligence begets success and money. If you have more, you have an easier life, but have too much and it loses meaning.

The flip side is that if you're less intelligent, you need to work harder, your life is harder etc. So this hard life could make you depressed, but then again, you are constantly working, keeping busy, and that ambition keeps you going.

But I do agree that it generally doesn't discriminate.

It isn't at all relevant, you could simply have said "university" as I'd imagine most people who'd take on degree level education would be pretty intelligent.

I think there is depression, then there is "shit life syndrome" which presents like depression. Your less likely to get "shit life syndrome" if your intelligent, but depression can get anybody.

Very well put

Maybe. It's more likely to get you the lower your SES is though.

Someone over 40? Did you get the person's age from that post?