Gifted individuals, due to their high emotional sensitivity and cognitive intensity, may face unique challenges related to the need to attract attention, especially in moments of momentary depression and strong emotional impact. Studies indicate that gifted individuals often experience intense emotional swings, and the depth of their emotional reactions can amplify the impact of frustrations and experiences of social rejection, leading to feelings of isolation and emotional despair (Cross & Cross, 2015). This heightened sensitivity is often related to the need to be recognized for their abilities, and when this external validation is absent, it can generate intense emotional responses.
Neurobiologically, emotional processing in gifted individuals can be altered, especially in times of emotional crises or depression. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for inhibitory control and regulation of emotional responses, may have reduced connectivity with the limbic system, particularly with the amygdala, which processes responses to negative emotional stimuli. In situations of momentary depression, this dysfunction in communication between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala can result in an exacerbation of impulsive behaviors, such as the exaggerated search for attention as a way to alleviate emotional pain (Keller et al., 2019).
Gifted individuals, in particular, tend to face greater challenges due to their heightened self-consciousness and social awareness, which can increase their vulnerability to rejection and unmet expectations. This combination of high sensitivity and emotional swings, often compounded by a lack of adequate social support, can lead to temporary depressive states, in which the need for attention intensifies as a compensatory strategy to cope with feelings of inadequacy or isolation (Peterson, 2015).
Furthermore, there is evidence that these individuals may experience an attentional bias toward negative stimuli during moments of depression, which intensifies rumination and focus on perceived failures, exacerbating the need for external validation. This emotional vulnerability may increase the risk of impulsive behaviors and even suicidal thoughts during times of heightened emotional stress or depressive episodes (Unruh et al., 2018).
References
CROSS, J.; CROSS, TL Clinical and Mental Health Issues in Counseling the Gifted Individual. Journal of Counseling and Development, 2015.
KELLER, A. et al. Paying attention to attention in depression. Translational Psychiatry, 2019.
PETERSON, J. School Counselors and Gifted Kids: Respecting Both Cognitive and Affective. Journal of Counseling and Development, 2015.
UNRUH, K. et al. Adults with Autism and Adults with Depression Show Similar Attentional Biases to Social-Affective Images. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2018.
