Can an Intelligent Person Have Mental Slowness?
Yes, definitely. The human mind can be both intelligent and slow, as I discovered after a brain stroke.
A Personal Experience
I’ve always been a quick thinker until an occlusion in my brain’s right lateral occipital lobe—caused by a stroke on May 4, 2020, on Jedi Day—impacted my visual processing very negatively. This stroke significantly affected my visual processing center, and as a result, my cognitive abilities were impacted in terms of processing speed and multi-tasking. The stroke occurred when I was 75, an age that already had its own unique challenges despite my intelligence and my background in various visual fields.
As an Aspie with multiple Autism-related conditions, living in the top 1.5 percent of the intelligence scale, and making my living as a graphic designer, art director, copywriter, author, columnist, public speaker, and educator at a university, this stroke added a layer of complexity to my life. My visual processing issues now required me to re-learn how to read and write, but it only took weeks, which is a testament to my adaptability.
However, my brain’s processing time and ability to multi-task were permanently affected in both speed and correlation. Everything now takes longer, and the processing consumes enormous resources to correct my distorted vision from both eyes. This has been a significant barrier to my daily activities, particularly in fast-paced environments like Quora, where patience and focus are essential.
Cognitive Impacts
Mental slowness, as a result of a stroke, can profoundly affect one's cognitive abilities. This can make seemingly simple tasks much more difficult, and in some cases, draining. I can only focus my mind for around 30 minutes without needing a 60-minute rest. My distractible ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) doesn’t help matters. Managing this new reality has been challenging, and my activity levels on platforms like Quora have significantly decreased.
Nevertheless, I consider myself fortunate. I can still lead our family enterprises and publishing activities with the help of my gifted adult children and grandchildren. Everything takes more time and effort, but I am learning to pace myself and accept certain limitations with grace.
Intellectual Insights
My experience has also given me insights into how others with varying levels of intelligence might perceive and process information. For instance, during a formal mental status exam, I ask participants to interpret common proverbs, which can help in assessing their abstract thinking and understanding of idiomatic language. One participant's response stands out in my mind: when asked about the proverb "don’t judge a book by its cover," she thought for the longest time before answering, “Well, it is sort of the opposite of ‘where there is smoke, there’s fire,’ don’t you think?” No one before or since has ever answered one proverb with another. This way of thinking slowed her down but also highlighted her intellectual depth and ability to think critically.
Tests like these not only help in understanding cognitive abilities but also reveal the unique ways in which the human mind can process information. They show that even in the face of challenges, the human mind can be both intelligent and remarkably adaptive.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mental slowness does not necessarily mean a lack of intelligence. The example of my stroke and the proverb test demonstrate that intelligence and mental slowness can coexist, making each individual's journey unique and multifaceted. Adaptability, support, and patience are key in navigating this complex landscape.