The Spanish psychologist Rafael Rodriguezspecialized in mental health and known on TikTok as @nosolopastillashas questioned the classic concepts about calls high intellectual abilities. In a recent video published on his social network, the doctor stated that “They are not always what they seem”. Therefore, it has raised some doubts about the way in which society and diagnostic systems understand the phenomenon.
According to Rodríguez, many labels of “giftedness” hide neurodivergent profiles linked to the Disorder of Autism Spectrum (ASD) and ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity (ADHD). In his opinion, these cases manage to “camouflage their difficulties” thanks to a high IQ, which can lead to erroneous interpretations. “The result: it is interpreted as ‘exceptional intelligence’, when in reality it is another style of brain functioning outside the curve,” said the expert.
The mental health expert has exposed a “hidden cost” in this phenomenon. Because, beyond the visible academic or functional results, he has spoken of the existence of “anxiety, social fatigue, burnout.” According to the psychologist, focus solely on functional impact prevents analyzing the “complete profile” of the people affected by these characteristics.
In his approach, the expert has presented seven fundamental points to understand what he calls “the costume of high capacities.” Firstly, he highlighted that “they are not a clinical diagnosis”but a statistical difference based solely on “an IQ greater than 130.” At the same time, he has assured that “it is never an x-ray of how your brain works.” In this sense, he has pointed out the limited scope of psychometric tests, clarifying that “having a high IQ does not give you more happiness, nor more creativity, nor more social adaptation.” In his words, it is only about “the psychometric label”.
Within the profile of those who receive the diagnosis of high abilities, the specialist described the presence of intense interests, hyperfocus, perfectionism, loneliness and rigidity. “Wow, this reminds me a lot of ASD and ADHD,” he observed with an ironic tone, emphasizing the coincidences with recognized neurodivergence conditions. When referring to the mental health system, Rodríguez explained: “the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) and the ICD (International Classification of Diseases), if there is no functional impact or deterioration, it’s not going to diagnose youThat is, a child with a high IQ and good social adaptation you will hardly receive a formal diagnosis of ASD or ADHD.
For Rodríguez, the IQ itself will act as a camouflage mechanismsince it allows the person “learn social rules” and “compensate” for their different characteristics in similar environments. As he warned, this camouflage has a high price, which can be reflected in adulthood with “anxiety, social fatigue and burnout.”
But the phenomenon does not always respond to genuine extraordinary talents. For this reason, the psychologist assured that “high abilities they can go from genuine talents to true compensated neurodivergences.” This situation, he said, would explain “why in this group of high abilities there are always more social and emotional problems.” Thus, he has thrown a question into the air that invites his followers to reflect: “Are high abilities a construct or an independent phenomenon? Many times, what we call high abilities are disguises of an ASD or ADHD person with a high IQ. Or did you think it was just intelligence?” Rodríguez concluded.
