Research shows that gifted individuals experience the world differently from the norm. They think more deeply about things, experience more intense emotions, and have heightened sensitivity to stimuli. While their uncommon intellectual and creative capacities allow for outstanding contributions and accomplishments, this different experience often leads the gifted person to feel out of step with the world, which may be exacerbated by a lack of understanding of their experience by others. Most gifted adults were not identified as gifted in childhood. Many gifted adults go through life feeling at odds with their environment without knowing why – socially ill at ease, feeling different from their peers, not understanding why others don’t see things as they do, or judged by others as being “too much.” This can lead to perpetual, corrosive feelings of self-doubt, confusion, frustration and disappointment, as well as more significant mental health challenges. You may recognize these traits of giftedness in yourself: -Insatiable curiosity and sophisticated thinking -Idealism -Heightened sensitivity to patterns, sounds, natural beauty, horrifying events, or moral wrongs -More intense emotions, deep empathy and sensitivity to others -High energy, driven by internal creativity, passions, or goals -Multipotentiality: wanting to pursue many different interests or careers, and being good at many things -Playfulness and offbeat humor. Many people believe that gifted individuals have everything going for them, and don’t need any help to succeed in life. In fact, gifted people are vulnerable to a number of problems: •Isolation and loneliness, due to feeling different and not seen or understood by others. •Low self-esteem. Persistent feelings of not fitting in (and potentially having been bullied or ostracized when younger) can lead to poor self-image. Their perfectionism and inner critic may lead them to beat themselves up and undermine their self-worth. •Social awkwardness. Gifted individuals may find others’ interests or conversation superficial or not understand why others don’t see the world as they do. They may find it difficult to participate socially or make friends. •Difficulty with partnering. Finding potential mates who meet them on enough dimensions to provide for a satisfying relationship can be very challenging. •Existential depression. Gifted adults’ idealism, expansive awareness, and intellectual capacity to consider the world’s most significant problems can lead to feelings of hopelessness and meaninglessness. •Disappointment and frustration due to others’ inability to keep up with them, or apparent lack of concern about what they see as moral imperatives. •Substance use or addictive behaviors to manage the intensity of their emotions and heightened sensitivity or to deal with painful feelings of loneliness or depression. •Difficulty prioritizing paths. Gifted adults’ multipotentiality often leads to wanting to pursue many interests at once, and it can be difficult to foreclose options or commit. •Difficulty tolerating periods of lack of direction or boredom. Once a domain has been mastered, gifted adults may feel ready for a new challenge. It may take some time before a new focus emerges. Boredom may lead to underachievement. •Lack of fulfillment. Many gifted adults have an impressive list of accomplishments and talents yet may still feel unfulfilled. Sometimes, finding meaning is difficult when the gifted person can see solutions to so many problems around them and feels unable to make an impact. •Misdiagnosis. Since many psychologists and educators are not aware of the different experience of gifted individuals, they may misinterpret and pathologize thoughts, feelings and behaviors typical of the gifted. In some cases, this leads to inappropriate diagnosis of mental health disorders. •Unmet needs as twice exceptional individual. Gifted individuals who also have a learning disorder or other psychiatric diagnosis have additional challenges in being understood and supported in their development as kids, which may set them up for further challenges in adulthood. It can be quite a relief to talk unreservedly about the experience of giftedness with someone who understands. If you have tried psychotherapy in the past with a clinician who did not specialize in working with gifted clients and found it disappointing, I hope you will give yourself the opportunity to try again with someone who will “get” you. I have spent more than 25 years in environments with gifted people and have training in accompanying gifted individuals in psychotherapy. I specialize in helping gifted adults develop insight about and embrace their giftedness, become more resilient in dealing with the challenges of being gifted in a world that frequently misunderstands them, enhance their sense of purpose, attain their professional goals, and create more fulfilling relationships.