The Strategy Intelligent People Adopt That Can Sabotage Their Connections

A nervous system coach revealed that highly intelligent people often struggle when interacting with others, and they may not realize this. 

In a TikTok video, a content creator named Dana explained that intelligent people can sometimes get in their own way when it comes to connecting with other people.

She shared the strategy intelligent people adopt that sabotages their connections.

“People who are intelligent can often develop this unconscious nervous system coping mechanism where they need to make sure they are more intelligent or better at things in any given situation than anybody else,” Dana said. 

She informed viewers that this type of coping mechanism is how intelligent people both identify and seek safety because they strive for superiority as a way to survive.

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The highly intelligent find comfort in being the smartest person in the room because it makes them feel useful and designates their place in the social hierarchy. It gives them a sense of belonging in an environment that can be very stressful.

Dana pointed out that this type of behavior mostly comes from the nervous system and is something that was conditioned during childhood. “Fortunately, we do have things like neuroplasticity. You are able to re-pattern your nervous system.”

She also encouraged individuals who may relate to this type of coping mechanism to engage in shadow work, which is the process of exploring your unconscious mind to uncover parts of yourself that you may repress or hide due to trauma, which usually happens during childhood and adolescent years. 

A neuroplastician explained how you could retrain your brain to break unhealthy coping techniques.

In another TikTok video, a content creator named Jennifer Furse, who specializes in positive brain retraining, admitted that there is a way to use neuroplasticity to change how you react and feel when confronted with triggers. 

She insisted that the brain is a pattern recognition system that is always looking for patterns to create in the brain.

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“If your brain can do something with an automated response, it’s gonna prefer to do that because it conserves energy for the brain,” Jennifer remarked. 

She claimed that neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new neural connections throughout life. Whenever positive neural networks are activated and reinforced, they strengthen the neurons associated with positive emotions, thinking, and behaviors.

Over time, all of those negative neural networks can be easily replaced with positive ones, and Jennifer acknowledged that the best way to do that is to override any negative feelings, emotions, or thoughts with positive ones. 

It’s almost as if you’re banishing any negativity from your brain as it enters, which is easier said than done but with practice, can become something that doesn’t require much work or effort at all.

“To override a negative neural network with a positive one, it is important to consistently engage in positive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors,” she continued. “This can be achieved through practices such as positive affirmations, gratitude exercises, mindfulness, and engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfillment.”

For whatever childhood trauma has latched itself onto your adulthood, there are ways to combat that and become a better version of yourself. Whether practicing positive thinking, shadow work, seeking counseling, or all of the above, you don’t have to sit in a mindset that no longer serves you.

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Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.