<p>Uh I think monstor344 hit it, dead on. SPOT ON.</p>
<p>100%</p>
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<p>I think to a large degree we’re arguing about semantics here. Yes, stress does not equal depression, but I don’t think OP was necessarily referring to DSM-IV defined clinical depression, but more of a nearly omnipresent melancholy, a dissatisfaction often brought on by less-than-perfection, by the feeling we’re wasting our lives by striving for such perfection, by the general malaise that affects the overachiever (OK, I’m generalizing to overachiever=intelligent, which isn’t always true, but very smart slackers have their own issues), etc. etc. Maybe angst, maybe stress, maybe depression–nevertheless, I believe the correlation definitely exists.</p>
<p>quomodo, I like your summery. A lot.</p>
<p>^^ Bingo. Dead on.</p>
<p>How would you go about discussing depression on college apps (if at all) to explain a lapse in grades</p>
<p>I don’t think I’d mention it if at all possible. I do understand where you are coming from.</p>
<p>Why would it be a bad thing? I know it shows weakness but were all susceptible to sadness</p>
<p>^I’ve heard that it makes you sound unstable. If you were to completely lose it one day and go crazy at college, it could make the university look really bad (think Viriginia Tech, MIT after Elizabeth Shin, etc.). It is kind of sad that you really can’t mention that sort of thing, but it’s understandable.</p>
<p>^^I wouldn’t say it shows weakness, but I just couldn’t be able to express how I was feeling at the time in an essay.</p>
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<p>It seems to be an overused sentiment nowadays, if anything. Colleges know that school is stressful, and applications add on to the feeling. A drop in grades and the way you present your case, the latter being especially important, could make you seem like someone who cannot separate their personal life from their professional life, leading to a collapse in both areas.</p>
<p>So it should just be unspoken</p>
<p>^If your only explanation is “stress”, I would say yes. If you had open heart surgery and missed school for a number of months, it’s a different story. Just my opinion, though.</p>
<p>^ Or if you’re like me and had a friend pass when she was 14 and you were 16.</p>
<p>Aww come on you guys. This thread has nearly 1,000 views.</p>
<p>But, depending on the chemicals in your brain, one’s response to stress may be rather extreme compared to that of a “normal” brain.</p>
<p>There’s probably a correlation.</p>
<p>[Not following conversation b/c too lazy; Post replies to OP]</p>
<p>Assuming that high intelligence in teenagers would stem from working hard to almost the extreme then yes, there would be a positive correlation between Hi-Int and depression in teens. Being that they would most likely not have a lot of time for fun things such as hanging out and the like. Thus -> unhappy, and if said unhappiness is dwelled upon too much it can turn into depression.</p>
<p>Depression in teens with a high intellect may also stem from cynicism and seeing the world ‘for what it is.’ Which would cause one to be depressed (etc., etc.).</p>
<p>[ignore grammar]</p>
<p>Actually the depressed people at school usually are not the super smart kids I don’t think.</p>
<p>Hard to define intelligence, hard to measure depression. I do think that there’s an association though. </p>
<p>Highly intelligent people tend to be introspective, and thus personally define happiness as inner solitude. Most of us are in cultures in which the definition of happiness as it applies to those who are extroverted, emotional highs, is considered the overall definition of happiness.</p>
<p>Introverted people understand (consciously or unconsciously) that cultural definition of happiness, and are then upset when they don’t feel right or really happy when they’re on emotional highs that are supposed to make them feel fantastic. They feel like something’s wrong with them for not loving the highs, and so feel alienated from their peers.</p>
<p>But I think that factor mostly affects teenagers, and not so much adults. I believe most introspective adults have already identified that happiness is not the same for all people, and don’t feel bad when their version isn’t the same as popular culture’s version. There are tons of other factors I’m sure, but I think this introverted bit is particularly influential on teenage depression.</p>
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<p>Do you have a clinical diagnosis of depression? Or are you just, you know, sad? And have the grades gone back up? Cuz if you were clinically depressed, but have now overcome it, and are no longer on medication, and the grades went up, I think maybe you could mention it. But otherwise probably would just come off as a poor excuse/generate concerns about your lack of mental stability.</p>