 For many, intelligence is a high-standing aspect of the one who possesses it. In some cases, they're expected to achieve greatness, while it may seem that intelligent people have it better. Due to their intelligence, awareness, and the pressure of the outside world, there are a few areas where they might struggle. Even with their high intelligence, they are still people who struggle sometimes just like everyone else. Keep watching to find out the difficulties intelligent people struggle with on a daily basis. Number one. Mental and emotional disorders. A 2011 study published in the Frontiers in Evolutionary Neuroscience found a correlation between general anxiety and high IQs. The cause? They posited that individuals with higher IQs had lower concentrations of choline in their white matter. Choline is a compound that helps produce a neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, which helps regulate your mood. Additionally, a study conducted by Ruth Karpinski of Fitzer College and her colleagues showed that intelligent individuals are at higher risk for psychological and physiological overexcitabilities. Her findings showed that out of the group of people they studied, 47% suffered from mental illnesses. The study looked into a high IQ society called Mensa that only accepts people with IQs of 132 or higher. This information was included in an Origins article. Mensa is a care provider that focuses on addiction, mental illness, and others. They dove into what the Mensa study might say about the possible causes and reasons why people with high IQs have a high probability of developing mental illnesses. Some possible reasons described are overexcidibility, intelligence genes causing mental illness, social isolation, and that intelligent people are more likely to get mental help. According to Origins, overexcidibility can turn into overanalyzation, worry, and rumination that will eventually turn into anxiety or depression. Normally, people with higher IQs are ostracized or pushed to the fringes of society due to the society not being able to understand them. This isolation in turn can cause depression. Finally, due to their high IQs, intelligent people are more self-aware and can know when there's something wrong with them quicker than normal people. Because of this self-awareness, they're more likely to seek medical and mental health to get diagnosed. More so than others. 2. Stress While intelligent people have the ability to synthesize information and understand complex information, they're just as sensitive to stress as many of us. Perhaps even more so than the average person. As mentioned in the previous point, highly intelligent individuals have a reduced concentration of choline in their white matter. Due to the reduced production of acetylcholine, many higher intelligent people are sensitive to stress. Acetylcholine is an important neurotransmitter that regulates your stress. Without enough choline, people can develop anxiety, chronic stress, or depression. Neither of the three are conducive to good brain function or a happy life. If you also take into account the social pressure and scrutiny intelligent individuals are placed under, life for a highly intelligent person may not be as fantastic as you might think. Luckily, choline is found in foods you may already consume, fish, poultry, eggs and nuts. 3. Social burden When you picture a highly intelligent person, you probably picture a Nobel Prize winner or a successful CEO. Unconsciously we hold these individuals to certain standards. But intelligence does not automatically indicate success. Aware of the expectation of others in society, highly intelligent individuals might feel pressured or place undue pressure on themselves. They might take on more than they can handle, which eventually leads to burnout. They may also try to do big things quickly, meaning they pay no attention to the small steps they need to take in order to make those big things happen, which can lead to them failing. Marty Nemko, PhD. A personal coach and educational psychologist wrote in a Psychology Today blog about how intelligent people are perceived in terms of expectations. They're expected to always be intelligent, said Nemko. But even smart people aren't always on. And then, like anyone else, they're more mistake prone. But they and others are particularly hard on themselves because of the disparity between their usual functioning and their error. Nemko continued. Intelligent people are expected to make a big difference in the world. Lest they choose a less ambitious career, they're often denigrated as not living up to their potential. 4. Negative impressions Due to their intelligence and the way they express themselves, intelligent people may come off as full of themselves, arrogant or know-it-alls. Most people don't like it when they feel as if others are trying to flaunt their intelligence because it makes them feel inadequate. Although, not all intelligent people flaunt their high IQs. Instead, they like to talk about what they know and try to help others. Having a high IQ doesn't mean that you're smart at everything. Many highly intelligent people don't know how to behave socially, nor do they have emotional intelligence. This gets them into trouble sometimes as they may say or do things unintentionally that confuse or hurt other people. 5. Self-esteem tied to their intelligence Another negative side to being intelligent is that due to the outer and inner pressure, many intelligent people end up tying their self-esteem, self-worth and identity to their intelligence and ability to always do things perfectly. In his blog, Nemko explains that due to intelligent people being aware of their own intelligence and how highly regarded it is by others, they tend to get wrapped up in it and only depend on themselves. So they tend to rely too much on their own judgment, Nemko stated. No matter how intelligent a person is, obtaining outside input often leads to better decisions. So they may end up making worse decisions than do somewhat less intelligent people who are aware of their limitations. Most intelligent people's careers and self-esteem are tied to their intelligence, Nemko said. Aging's inevitable cognitive decline tends to especially hurt smart people, practically and psychologically. If you are considered to be one of these highly intelligent people, remember that in the end, we're all human and mistakes are part of our lives. Don't push people away due to pride or arrogance. You might need them later on. These are just a few of the difficulties that intelligent people face in their lives. To be clear, not all intelligent people are arrogant or full of themselves. Some might just seem like they are. More likely than not, they're worrying more than trying to show off. Do you agree with the difficulties mentioned here? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to check out our YouTube channel for more.