Depressed because of my IQ

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So I went through IQ testing (WAIS), and my IQ turned out to be "within the normal range". Although, the neurpsychologist told me that my IQ is incredibly heterogeneous - with severe deficits in some areas, and strengths (only 2 standard deviations above the mean) in other areas.


These results made me depressed. They mean that all of my life's goals and dreams went down the shitter. I wanted to be a researcher, and do research in the areas of theoretical physics and logic. Not to mention, I was interested in science ever since I was a young child, and knew and understood things like rocket engine structure at the age of ~5.

But these results mean that I'm not intelligent to perform any worthwhile research. In fact, I doubt my IQ is even enough to get a graduate degree in the areas I want. As a result, I'm now abandoning my interests, such as model theory, foundations of mathematics, confirmation theory, etc.

I had very ambitious goals - to contribute to the formalization and symbolization of inductive logic. To attempt to look into the rules of the most fundamental and essential reasoning processes. This goal was inspired by Leibniz' dream of a calculus ratiocinator. But now, all these goals are done away with.


How to deal with such hopelessness? My life has no meaning anymore.

I suggest you throw the iq test away and reapply yourself to your goals.

If you easily understand the topics in your chosen field, and your grades are good, you shouldn't give up. There's isn't an IQ prerequisite for graduate school--just hard work and good grades. People with normal intelligence can do just fine in academia.

IQ tests mean nothing, I've gotten average scores to genius ones and I don't think I've gotten any dumber and smarter in between them. If you feel you can handle that math, then go for it dude. I know I couldn't regardless of what my IQ might imply.

I agree with the respondents here. IQ is not important and shouldn't determine what you can do with your life. If you have sufficient interest then IQ doesn't matter as those tests are not very reliable in any case.

Don't give up on your dreams just because of that.

I've done two IQ tests: the first one I did said I was in the bottom 25% of the population. I was quite shocked to say the least! I later did another one sponsored by MENSA (my brother is a member) and I scored in the top 15% of the population on that one and even beat out most MENSA members in some areas.

In other words, IQ tests don't really tell you much. My fiancee is a College dropout, almost failed High School math yet is the single smartest person I have ever met, even smarter than my brother with his sky high IQ!

It's an overreaction to stop persuing a career because you didn't score as well as you wanted on an IQ test. How you did on that test doesn't matter to schools, and it's illegal (in the US) for employers to make hiring or firing decisions based on IQ. What does matter are your SAT score, your grades, and your general GRE and Physics GRE scores.

Yeah, IQ tests are a great way to measure your skill at taking IQ tests. Results vary wildly between different tests, and if you keep taking the same kind of test, your results go up from the practice.

IQ can change like the weather. If someone came up to you and told you you're stupid and won't amount to much in life, would you believe him? There are people wearing white coats, taking notes on a clipboard who imply the same thing when they measure someone's IQ.

I'll put it this way:

Imagine having two bricks and two cardboard boxes. You put one brick in each box and seal them inside. On one box, you stick a label called "1kg Gold Bar," and you stick a label on the other called "C4."

If nobody knew what was inside the two boxes, most people would be very much attracted to the Gold Bar label and probably run for cover upon seeing the C4.

If they opened the two boxes, they would initially be disappointed at seeing a brick instead of a gold bar. But when they see a brick instead of the C4, they're glad it wasn't what they saw on the box.

Here's my point: People are often deceived by the labels that are placed on us, and IQ is just one of many. If you're depressed because someone labeled you as having a low IQ, open the box and show them what you're really made of. You're the one who can decide what goes in the box.

(For those of you who don't know what C4 is, it's a type of explosive device.)

What are your peaks of ability?
Often, when doing something intellectually demanding, I use my peaks only, the cognitive functions that are highest in my brain are the ones I use the most and are most useful to me.

My peaks are picture completion, matrix reasoning, similarities, comprehension, block design. These were roughly 2 standard deviations above the mean. The rest was very poor. I was told that my results are very consistent with my diagnosis of autism.

You seem like a bright person. IQ, at times, does not mean too much.

I would bet that you were anxious on the day of the test.

Sometimes the fault is in the test and those administering and interpreting it...including those that come up with the means to interpret them.

Example-
In the States, years ago, scholastic achievement tests (which were really IQ tests) kept showing kids from inner city areas as having low IQs.

Turned out there was cultural stuff going on. They'd have a question that said "cup and..." and the kid had a list to choose from. Included was "saucer" and "table" among the possible replies. A lot of the kids were saying "table", and were counted as not being with it.

Someone who WAS with it decided to investigate, knowing these kids were not stupid.

Turned out in a lot of inner city homes, people didn't use "cups and saucers". They'd put a cup down on a table, so naturally, FOR THOSE KIDS, the answer WAS "table".

There were plenty of other questions that were for people of one culture, yet the tests were being administered to kids of different cultures.

For the OP, it's possible nobody knows the right questions to ask you to figure out your IQ. Could be as simple a thing as how a question is phrased.

I'm with the above suggestions. Don't let your so-called IQ hold you back. Do what YOU can. Progress as YOU are able to. Don't let anything stop you. Do YOUR best.

There's no telling how far you'll go.

Smile. You're giving up too soon, and too easy.

Keep at it.

A IQ of at least two standard deviations above the mean correspond of intellectual giftedness, and your peaks show deep thinking, which is more valuable im my opinion as a defintion of "intelligence" that computational skills (Like processing speed, working memory and arithmetic, which are domains that computer happen to greatly surpass human beings.)
I must say that I struggle with similar problems than you, and contrary to you I don't even have subtests reaching as high as twoe deviations above the mean, which I though I could reach before my IQ test in my diagnosis processus.
I feel better that I used to a few years ago on this question hopefully.

2 SD's above the mean is pretty smart.