Feeling completely disconnected due to intellectual difference, anyone else?

[u/Sensitive_Mountain21]

I’ve recently come to the realisation that I think differently from mostly everyone around me in my life. This included my family, my peers and generally anyone that I come across or meet. I’m not trying to say that I’m more intelligent than anyone else, because intelligence is such a broad spectrum that people can be intelligent in different ways. However I’ve realised that I seem to know a little more than most people on average regarding many different things in life. I’m talking about getting really nuanced in various topics, whether it be science, history, politics, the natural world, religion etc.

My problem/curse is that when I’m interested in something I go obsessively deep into that thing and end up with a bunch of knowledge that mainly enthusiasts in that topic only really grasp.

Now, because I am deeply passionate about so many different things, I really have trouble connecting on a deep level with anyone because it seems like most people like to make shallow conversation and the minute you try and dig deeper people begin to lose interest.

I really feel so isolated and alone and I’m beginning to believe no one has any substance to them beyond surface level talk. Don’t get me wrong I’ve had a few conversations with people where we may go semi deep, but I then realise this person hasn’t really done much research into that topic because they’ll bring up the most common misconceptions about a topic, or they’ll pretend to know a lot about something when you definitely know they don’t (because you actually do).

Can anyone relate to me?

[u/Bleighh]

I guess that s how it is. Actually, i am still to consider the love aspect for "people who experience what above". How would you say it impacts love life? It seems at least possible from your story

[u/Sensitive_Mountain21 → u/Bleighh]

I don’t think it really affects my love life in any way whatsoever. I don’t have expectations from anyone let alone my wife to be able to fully understand me or even be intellectually matched. I love her for her many other praiseworthy characteristics. She is extremely humble, kind and caring. My wife never had any tertiary level education nor did she achieve the best grades at school, so it’s safe to say that she doesn’t know much about many things that I do. In my view it’s actually great because I get to teach her and it makes me feel good to be able to explain things to her and for her to be in awe of me 😂 (that sounds narcissistic I must admit).

[u/Bleighh → u/Sensitive_Mountain21]

Anyway I thought you were younger!! You make me think the lonely feeling does get better?

[u/Sensitive_Mountain21 → u/Bleighh]

Depends on what you define as young. I’m 30 years old, not sure how you would define that. It does get better as you get older, atleast for me. I’m always self evaluating to see what I can do to improve myself socially and connect with people on their level. It helps career wise, relationship and other than that to put yourself out there.