Is there a correlation between IQ and proneness to suicide. - General

The question was raised when discussing the rumoured suicides among the one direction fans following a documentary. Although the question poses an ethical and moral dilemma, I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on whether or not you think there is a correlation between IQ and proneness to suicide. In my opinion, A high IQ could lead to suicide, because I think that a more intelligent person is more susceptible to correctly predicting possible consequences, whereas a less intelligent person would just accept or even not think about such things. A couple examples could be Walter Benjamin, writers like Hemmingway, poets like Plath, gifted musicians like Cobain, etc. I use the acronym IQ in reference to a gauge of intelligence, not the proven-to-be-flawed result of a test. I would love to hear your views.

While people who are more intelligent tend to have a more realistic approach to life (including morbidity), I think that underlying psychological issues define someone's proneness to suicide -- not their intelligence.

[QUOTE=Soleeedus;41863797]While people who are more intelligent tend to have a more realistic approach to life (including morbidity), I think that underlying psychological issues define someone's proneness to suicide -- not their intelligence.[/QUOTE] There is also the possibility that a more intelligent person would analyze (or overanalyze) the situation which, compounded with said underlying issues, would likely make it worse. I mean, you're more realistic in your approach but if there is something wrong with your way of thinking, it would skew how you perceive problems in your life.

how do you debate whether or not there's a correlation between things, we need data

no. suicide indicates a mental disorder; bad mental health in general being mentally unhealthy doesn't mean you're going to have a low iq/be somewhat dim, that's totally unrelated also, you can't pull a correlation out of an argument. actual surveys and studies need to be taken

Being naturally introverted, I tend to think a lot about who I am as a person and the situations I find myself in daily. I often find that the most negative opinions of myself come from within. I'm not considering suicide, or even depressed, but I often find myself contemplating my worth as a human being and about my flaws in general. I believe it stems from my pessimism, paired with the conflicting ideas in my mind of perfectionism and being rather scatter-brained. (Don't think I'm using this post as a chance to bitch, I have a point to make.) Ultimately, at least as indicated by my experiences, intelligence is pretty irrelevant in determining one's happiness (or lack thereof). There are a myriad of external and internal factors one must consider. I think that largely, it comes from having a poor self-image and/or underlying mental disorder/poor mental health. How one feels about who they are - especially in the case that they are suffering from a mental disorder - can seriously warp their perspective of the outside world.

i don't think that IQ has anything to do with it, I would say that it's a mix of mental instability (that gets rid of the innate logical thinking to not kill yourself) and also cowardice killing yourself is the easy way out, and people who kill themselves usually don't fully understand the consequences it'll have on their loved ones, and here's the kicker: if they DO understand the consequences it'd have on their loved ones, why do it in the first place? I think you're onto something, maybe people with lower IQ (see: dumb people) are more prone to killing themselves

Probably not. Any highly intelligent person should be perfectly capable of rationalizing the value of continuing one's life. "Thales said also that there was no difference between life and death. 'Why, then,' said some one to him, 'do not you die?' 'Because,' said he, 'it does make no difference.' " - Diogenes Laertius, The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

This is only slightly related, but from my observations and the observations of others, Intelligence seems to be inversely related to happiness.

I wouldn't say theres a correlation, but I would say your intelligence plays a part, somewhat, in your capacity to be fatally affected by things in your life. For example, someone who is extremely uneducated may be unaware or unable to understand some of the problems in their life and therefore not be affected by them (see: ignorance is bliss). But low intelligence can also increase the burden on you, and vice versa. What I'm saying is it plays a part but there can be no correlation.

IQ isn't a measure to be compared or put in relation to anything. IQ is a persons ability to take in information, not a total sum of their knowledge and intellect. Which is why it's always equally ironic that people brag about having a high IQ - someone with a low IQ can be highly knowledgeable where someone with a high IQ can be complete opposite. It's mostly about will to learn. So no, there is no relation to IQ and suicide, unless someone was bullied into suicide for having a low IQ.

the idea of intelligence being linked with suicide and depression is so hormonal teenagers can feel better about themselves.

[QUOTE=pfoot;41878721]the idea of intelligence being linked with suicide and depression is so hormonal teenagers can feel better about themselves.[/QUOTE] based on what, your vast experience in the field of.... ? Commonly repeated observations tend to have some truth to them, and this why isnt particularly hard to see why people with above average intelligence are more likely to be prone to depression. A lot of intelligent people are introverted to varying degrees, and spend a lot of time thinking as opposed to doing or being in the moment. The problem with thinking too much is eventually you can come to some rather bleak conclusions, such as the futility of doing anything at all.

I'm guessing everyone here has heard the statement ignorance is bliss. If you are intelligent enough to comprehend and contemplate the macro cosmos around us you eventually realize how empty and meaningless this existence really is. By that I mean the superficial existence that most humans are all to happy to embrace. But I don't blame them because it's all a coping mechanism for the concept of non-existence. Which of-course is not a cruel fate, as you won't care in the end. It's this short interruption we call life that makes me think it's all like a big joke. That being said, yes I think that there is a correlation between intellect and happiness. As for IQ and suicide, I don't know.

[QUOTE=Derp Y. Mail;41878559]IQ isn't a measure to be compared or put in relation to anything. IQ is a persons ability to take in information, not a total sum of their knowledge and intellect. [/QUOTE] I know. I pointed out in the OP that I used the acronym wrongly.

[QUOTE=Yahnich;41880593]this existence is only empty and meaningless because you make it so, i personally find beauty in the vast cosmos and the microscopic world we all are happy to ignore this is the most pseudoscientific and depressing way of bragging about you being intelligent i personally do not think there is a link between intelligence and suicides, because intelligent people are equally likely to find beauty in whatever, so i believe there is no real link between intelligence and suicide except maybe people being unhappy because they flaunt their intelligence and brag about it and get ostracized for being a nerdy douche[/QUOTE] Why are you making this personal? I don't think this world is empty and meaningless. If I came off that way maybe you read my post wrong. I'm just saying that ultimately it has no point or purpose. Especially if you consider it from a solipsistic point of view. That being said I think that the intricate nature of nature is enough to warrant a conscious observer. As for being ostracized, not so much. Nerdy? considering you spend far more time in this forum, aimed at gaming, maybe you should look in a mirror, douche.

why is this even a debate you have the whole internet just type "iq suicide" into google scholar [url]http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01171.x/abstract;jsessionid=4BAC9CC22452CEAE08B1D12462A048B7.d02t02?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false[/url] [url]http://www.amsciepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.2003.97.1.206[/url]

I think he confused correlation with causation Of course he didn't even show there was a correlation in the first place

Well a lower IQ has been proven as a risk factor for turning to crime, and so maybe turning to crime makes them feel worthless and make them want to kill themselves?

the problem is IQ is not as simple as a number, generally the higher the number is the more abnormal the brain is. geneuses like einstein and newton both had very strange quirks to them, but people like claud shannon are only functional with the right conditions and lead sheltered lives because of it. its more of a problem that the higher IQ gets the more chance there is for some sort of atypical mental condition