Traumatic Intelligence, the Rarest Type Discourse
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Date: 2026-10-28
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Comments and reviews: 20
Artistofthefamily
I hadn't seen the viral videos talking about the traumatic intelligence, so my assumption was that it was just the growth that can come from it. But, it seems the majority of those people are missing that bit of context. I'm really happy to see you guys bringing up this as it's so important to talk about, especially with the mentality around these sorts of things.
I've met plenty of people who have gone through similar things as myself, and they've let it bring them to a worse place as a person. I've also seen the opposite where people take that same hurt/trauma and grow from it. I've been to both positions, and it wasn't until I was in counselling that I started doing the real growth. Before, the trauma and coping mechanisms ruled everything. Now, after doing a lot of growing, I'm learning new coping mechanisms that are healthy and will benefit myself and others around me in a way that doesn't discredit my experiences and provides a better, more peaceful life.
I still struggle with the hyper-empathy, hypervigilance, reading people's emotions, etc. It's something I'm working on in counselling so I can be a positive force without the expense of my own peace and boundaries. But, it was something I had to work for and dig through a lot of uncomfortable things to get where I am right now (and I wouldn't even say I'm at a level I consider truly 'healthy'. People will only grow if they work at it, not just from experiencing a trauma and surviving. Healing takes work; just ask anyone in physiotherapy. Our bodies and our brains are similar in concept, and in both cases, healing takes a lot of work and dedication. It's so worth the work, though.
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I hadn't seen the viral videos talking about the traumatic intelligence, so my assumption was that it was just the growth that can come from it. But, it seems the majority of those people are missing that bit of context. I'm really happy to see you guys bringing up this as it's so important to talk about, especially with the mentality around these sorts of things.
I've met plenty of people who have gone through similar things as myself, and they've let it bring them to a worse place as a person. I've also seen the opposite where people take that same hurt/trauma and grow from it. I've been to both positions, and it wasn't until I was in counselling that I started doing the real growth. Before, the trauma and coping mechanisms ruled everything. Now, after doing a lot of growing, I'm learning new coping mechanisms that are healthy and will benefit myself and others around me in a way that doesn't discredit my experiences and provides a better, more peaceful life.
I still struggle with the hyper-empathy, hypervigilance, reading people's emotions, etc. It's something I'm working on in counselling so I can be a positive force without the expense of my own peace and boundaries. But, it was something I had to work for and dig through a lot of uncomfortable things to get where I am right now (and I wouldn't even say I'm at a level I consider truly 'healthy'. People will only grow if they work at it, not just from experiencing a trauma and surviving. Healing takes work; just ask anyone in physiotherapy. Our bodies and our brains are similar in concept, and in both cases, healing takes a lot of work and dedication. It's so worth the work, though.
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RobertFrost10
Being hypervigilant may seem useful when keeping an eye out for danger but it's not sustainable or good for everyday life.
What was said in the video is true, those things come at a cost and that price is rarely worth it if at all. My brain is always on and always scanning and looking out for danger, what to do if something happens, the best exits, the best points to hit if someone tries to attack you, the best routes to go, gauging people's body language and facial expressions all of the time, and basically always feeling like you're in a watch tower and on the look out.
I've been in a state of preparing for something for most of my life and it has cost me happy moments, not being able to fully immerse myself in fun activities, and at my worst it has cost me friends and people in my life because I was so untrusting. I suppose I'm used to living like this after so long, a minimum of two decades, but when I try to remember what it felt like to not be this way, I can't. The hypervigilance and everything that comes with it has been the dominant feeling in my memory for years now, and it feels sad.
I am working on myself and getting better but I don't know that this state of being will ever fully go away. I just do my best to have truly happy moments and cherish the ones that I can be fully present for and not worry about something going wrong. Those moments are important and people should have as many of them as they can.
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Being hypervigilant may seem useful when keeping an eye out for danger but it's not sustainable or good for everyday life.
What was said in the video is true, those things come at a cost and that price is rarely worth it if at all. My brain is always on and always scanning and looking out for danger, what to do if something happens, the best exits, the best points to hit if someone tries to attack you, the best routes to go, gauging people's body language and facial expressions all of the time, and basically always feeling like you're in a watch tower and on the look out.
I've been in a state of preparing for something for most of my life and it has cost me happy moments, not being able to fully immerse myself in fun activities, and at my worst it has cost me friends and people in my life because I was so untrusting. I suppose I'm used to living like this after so long, a minimum of two decades, but when I try to remember what it felt like to not be this way, I can't. The hypervigilance and everything that comes with it has been the dominant feeling in my memory for years now, and it feels sad.
I am working on myself and getting better but I don't know that this state of being will ever fully go away. I just do my best to have truly happy moments and cherish the ones that I can be fully present for and not worry about something going wrong. Those moments are important and people should have as many of them as they can.
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MainAccReborned
Hey, another video from my online therapist!
More like an imaginary friend on my mind(hehe) You're the successor to my inner voice, when I feel frustrated I just imagine you reminding me of the lessons you told me through your videos. Instead of just my voice calming myself, now it's a mix of. Amanda and me. And it helps quite alot! (I can't believe because of that one singular change I went from 51% introverted to 61% extroverted on a 16personality test)
I'll stay positive, live in the present, and apply the relationship advice and emotional lessons into me and my crush's mutual relationship. Hopefully, when the time comes Me and her go past infatuation and stage 3. (The make or break stage of love)
Anyway, I'd like to share that I actually have an English presentation on Wednesday. And the topic I chose is mental awareness and healing the inner voice within us. And ofcourse, I made references to Psych2Go and shared some of my own wisdom alongside it. I aim not to be rehearsive, but to be authentic, so that my speech comes straight from the mind. I'm not a cornball anymore, I'm just genuinely positive. Too positive for some, I guess. (especially to my classmates whose names which I will not disclose bcuz they watch you too are getting a little tired from how extroverted I've been)
Then again, thanks for the lessons you've given me Psi. See ya in the next time I make a paragraph. :)
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Hey, another video from my online therapist!
More like an imaginary friend on my mind(hehe) You're the successor to my inner voice, when I feel frustrated I just imagine you reminding me of the lessons you told me through your videos. Instead of just my voice calming myself, now it's a mix of. Amanda and me. And it helps quite alot! (I can't believe because of that one singular change I went from 51% introverted to 61% extroverted on a 16personality test)
I'll stay positive, live in the present, and apply the relationship advice and emotional lessons into me and my crush's mutual relationship. Hopefully, when the time comes Me and her go past infatuation and stage 3. (The make or break stage of love)
Anyway, I'd like to share that I actually have an English presentation on Wednesday. And the topic I chose is mental awareness and healing the inner voice within us. And ofcourse, I made references to Psych2Go and shared some of my own wisdom alongside it. I aim not to be rehearsive, but to be authentic, so that my speech comes straight from the mind. I'm not a cornball anymore, I'm just genuinely positive. Too positive for some, I guess. (especially to my classmates whose names which I will not disclose bcuz they watch you too are getting a little tired from how extroverted I've been)
Then again, thanks for the lessons you've given me Psi. See ya in the next time I make a paragraph. :)
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Proud_Autistic
I won't mention the tragic events of my life again in detail to avoid reminding myself of them. But I've had an extremely rough life that would've led to some to unalive themselves multiple times over (because of Covdi, middle school's classmates, constant online drama, parental abuse, and the sheer hard-work I needed to put myself through. Traumatic intelligence isn't a term that resonates with me, Post-Traumatic Growth is what resonates with me. Nowadays, I am someone who shows deep empathy to those who have to go through unimaginable unfair suffering, I also have a deep appreciation for quiet and natural environments that I didn't have 7 years ago (back in 2019, still the best year of my life. Oh, and I also have another hugh trauma from watching. huh. worse than hell colorized footage (1942(I think)-1945, now piece it together and you'll see what I mean, now I am fat but also not obese to avoid body problems, and that's a survival instinct I've learnt (the more fat you are, the more your body has resources to take in case of starvation. I am also triggered by Fanta cans and trains, and basically I am always ready to be sent to something similar as what happened 8 decades ago. Yeah, I didn't have a good life in the 2020s.
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I won't mention the tragic events of my life again in detail to avoid reminding myself of them. But I've had an extremely rough life that would've led to some to unalive themselves multiple times over (because of Covdi, middle school's classmates, constant online drama, parental abuse, and the sheer hard-work I needed to put myself through. Traumatic intelligence isn't a term that resonates with me, Post-Traumatic Growth is what resonates with me. Nowadays, I am someone who shows deep empathy to those who have to go through unimaginable unfair suffering, I also have a deep appreciation for quiet and natural environments that I didn't have 7 years ago (back in 2019, still the best year of my life. Oh, and I also have another hugh trauma from watching. huh. worse than hell colorized footage (1942(I think)-1945, now piece it together and you'll see what I mean, now I am fat but also not obese to avoid body problems, and that's a survival instinct I've learnt (the more fat you are, the more your body has resources to take in case of starvation. I am also triggered by Fanta cans and trains, and basically I am always ready to be sent to something similar as what happened 8 decades ago. Yeah, I didn't have a good life in the 2020s.
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ShyraxelMusic
I'm just moving on. Already experienced many things in teenage life being 15, it may not be much big thing compared to others or adult's life but I wonder how it would be when I become an adult. Also I am just in an imaginary world of romanticism where I just fall in love with imaginary characters. Sometimes I wanna cry but I can't. Idk why I become happy for sometimes, but then suddenly I ask myself why am I happy afterall carrying many problems upcoming. My parents are unpredictable creatures, I mean once I was thinking like when I just spit every facts to them they'll understand me totally but it's not. Every thing is based on me and my attitude and how I handle. This school on otherside with extremely toxic environment. My family's situation can change anytime but rn I am in a very sufficient position where I can afford my basic things. It's just everything in life mixing i don't even find anything positive and also I had 3 surgeries before, due to some of my physical health issues, and now I think I am gonna have another one. I procrastinate very badly even with the thing I like to do and I don't feel like doing anything, it's like I just wanna sit in my room and run this life
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I'm just moving on. Already experienced many things in teenage life being 15, it may not be much big thing compared to others or adult's life but I wonder how it would be when I become an adult. Also I am just in an imaginary world of romanticism where I just fall in love with imaginary characters. Sometimes I wanna cry but I can't. Idk why I become happy for sometimes, but then suddenly I ask myself why am I happy afterall carrying many problems upcoming. My parents are unpredictable creatures, I mean once I was thinking like when I just spit every facts to them they'll understand me totally but it's not. Every thing is based on me and my attitude and how I handle. This school on otherside with extremely toxic environment. My family's situation can change anytime but rn I am in a very sufficient position where I can afford my basic things. It's just everything in life mixing i don't even find anything positive and also I had 3 surgeries before, due to some of my physical health issues, and now I think I am gonna have another one. I procrastinate very badly even with the thing I like to do and I don't feel like doing anything, it's like I just wanna sit in my room and run this life
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linuxaudio100
Today we are interviewing Bruce Wayne, known as Batman. He survived profound childhood trauma.
Batman, did your trauma give you new superpowers
I'm Batman
OK, but did you get any superpowers
I'm Batman
Your superpowers Mr Wayne Did they increase because of your tragic childhood
I'm Batman
Do you always answer in this monotone devoid of all emotion or humanity
I'm Batman.
This has been today's interview with Batman. Clearly even if he got any superpowers from his trauma, he's also been left a robotic, very repetitive and dehumanised masked man. But at least he said it 4 times: he is Batman.
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Today we are interviewing Bruce Wayne, known as Batman. He survived profound childhood trauma.
Batman, did your trauma give you new superpowers
I'm Batman
OK, but did you get any superpowers
I'm Batman
Your superpowers Mr Wayne Did they increase because of your tragic childhood
I'm Batman
Do you always answer in this monotone devoid of all emotion or humanity
I'm Batman.
This has been today's interview with Batman. Clearly even if he got any superpowers from his trauma, he's also been left a robotic, very repetitive and dehumanised masked man. But at least he said it 4 times: he is Batman.
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InnerPsychologyTV
2: 59 is the line that stuck with me: These aren't really gifts. They're scars that function. Pollak and Sinha (2002) showed children faces that slowly morphed from neutral into an emotion, and kids who had been physically abused recognized anger with less visual information than other kids needed. Sharper, yes, but tuned to one thing: danger. So the person who notices the mood shift in a room before anyone else may not be gifted so much as never off duty. That's why 4: 28 lands: appreciate strength without romanticizing pain. For the observant ones here, does your radar ever get to rest
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2: 59 is the line that stuck with me: These aren't really gifts. They're scars that function. Pollak and Sinha (2002) showed children faces that slowly morphed from neutral into an emotion, and kids who had been physically abused recognized anger with less visual information than other kids needed. Sharper, yes, but tuned to one thing: danger. So the person who notices the mood shift in a room before anyone else may not be gifted so much as never off duty. That's why 4: 28 lands: appreciate strength without romanticizing pain. For the observant ones here, does your radar ever get to rest
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TiMe-mory24
I have dealt with a huge problem with my original characters named Bimo & Zima. I made a whole video about it with all of the information. I made these characters originally in 2022, but in 2025, my characters were stolen and turned into AI slop! I have recently been trying to report Valeria Drotenko because she is ruining my characters' public image! I really need help on this, this is the most vulnerable I have ever been on the internet. If you can, will you reference the real Bimo & Zima in the next video I'm not saying you have to but I would appreciate it a lot.
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I have dealt with a huge problem with my original characters named Bimo & Zima. I made a whole video about it with all of the information. I made these characters originally in 2022, but in 2025, my characters were stolen and turned into AI slop! I have recently been trying to report Valeria Drotenko because she is ruining my characters' public image! I really need help on this, this is the most vulnerable I have ever been on the internet. If you can, will you reference the real Bimo & Zima in the next video I'm not saying you have to but I would appreciate it a lot.
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xnorthvale
The research version of this is attentional bias to threat: in dot-probe studies, people with trauma histories orient faster to angry faces and have more trouble disengaging from them. It looks like social perceptiveness from the outside, and in a genuinely dangerous environment it is protective. The cost is that the bias doesn't switch off in safe rooms the same system produces false alarms, reading neutral expressions as hostile. So the skill is real; it's just rented, and the rent is paid in exhaustion.
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The research version of this is attentional bias to threat: in dot-probe studies, people with trauma histories orient faster to angry faces and have more trouble disengaging from them. It looks like social perceptiveness from the outside, and in a genuinely dangerous environment it is protective. The cost is that the bias doesn't switch off in safe rooms the same system produces false alarms, reading neutral expressions as hostile. So the skill is real; it's just rented, and the rent is paid in exhaustion.
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psych2go
2: 12 The Hidden Cost of Survival Mechanisms is such a vital distinction. Internet culture loves to romanticize hypervigilancelike instantly reading micro-shifts in someone's tone or moodas a superpower or rare intelligence. In reality, it is an exhausting nervous system adaptation where your brain is constantly scanning the room for emotional danger. True healing isn't about losing your perceptiveness; it's about teaching your nervous system that you no longer need to stay on high alert just to survive.
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2: 12 The Hidden Cost of Survival Mechanisms is such a vital distinction. Internet culture loves to romanticize hypervigilancelike instantly reading micro-shifts in someone's tone or moodas a superpower or rare intelligence. In reality, it is an exhausting nervous system adaptation where your brain is constantly scanning the room for emotional danger. True healing isn't about losing your perceptiveness; it's about teaching your nervous system that you no longer need to stay on high alert just to survive.
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tinhlangtamhonvn
Really appreciate how carefully this separates hypervigilance from intelligence. Reading a room fast is a skill the nervous system learned to stay safe, and it usually comes with a cost in attention and rest. The distinction matters, because calling it a gift can make people afraid to heal it. Post-traumatic growth tends to come later, through meaning-making and support, not from the trauma itself. Which part of survival mode do you find hardest to unlearn
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Really appreciate how carefully this separates hypervigilance from intelligence. Reading a room fast is a skill the nervous system learned to stay safe, and it usually comes with a cost in attention and rest. The distinction matters, because calling it a gift can make people afraid to heal it. Post-traumatic growth tends to come later, through meaning-making and support, not from the trauma itself. Which part of survival mode do you find hardest to unlearn
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FoxyMoon0174
Hey, I was wondering if you and your amazing team could work on a video on ways to become more connected with your emotions for those with Aphantasia. I've really been struggling with it because I try to talk to people and they usually just tell me things like, Just envision a better you, or, Think about the end goal, short or long.
Anything would go a long way at this point. But thanks for the amazing videos! The animation always manages a smile from me.
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Hey, I was wondering if you and your amazing team could work on a video on ways to become more connected with your emotions for those with Aphantasia. I've really been struggling with it because I try to talk to people and they usually just tell me things like, Just envision a better you, or, Think about the end goal, short or long.
Anything would go a long way at this point. But thanks for the amazing videos! The animation always manages a smile from me.
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psych2go
Basically, when your self-defence system kinda breaks and just wastes energy on unneeded things, like adrenaline, but instead of imagining a pipe with a valve below a container you see a switch to gate with electricity and gate's electricity is active, even after restarting the system multiple times since a switch was once broken by a tresspasser along with some things behind the gate and can't be turned back off
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Basically, when your self-defence system kinda breaks and just wastes energy on unneeded things, like adrenaline, but instead of imagining a pipe with a valve below a container you see a switch to gate with electricity and gate's electricity is active, even after restarting the system multiple times since a switch was once broken by a tresspasser along with some things behind the gate and can't be turned back off
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psych2go
The part about hypervigilance hit home for me I used to think being able to read a room instantly was just a strength, but recognizing it as an overworked threat-detection system, with the poor boundaries and emotional burnout that can come with it, reframed a lot. The distinction between traumatic intelligence as a label and post-traumatic growth as real, costly change felt honest rather than romanticized.
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The part about hypervigilance hit home for me I used to think being able to read a room instantly was just a strength, but recognizing it as an overworked threat-detection system, with the poor boundaries and emotional burnout that can come with it, reframed a lot. The distinction between traumatic intelligence as a label and post-traumatic growth as real, costly change felt honest rather than romanticized.
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psych2go
I really appreciated how honestly you handled this one, especially the part about post-traumatic growth and how hypervigilance isn't a superpower but a survival response that can leave a person exhausted. The Levi Ackerman example stayed with me, because it showed so clearly that strength and suffering can live side by side. Thank you for explaining it with such care, and please keep making videos like this.
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I really appreciated how honestly you handled this one, especially the part about post-traumatic growth and how hypervigilance isn't a superpower but a survival response that can leave a person exhausted. The Levi Ackerman example stayed with me, because it showed so clearly that strength and suffering can live side by side. Thank you for explaining it with such care, and please keep making videos like this.
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persia888
Many of us value our feelings and experiences more than what The Current Science’ says. Probably coz it lags so far behind reality and has been so wrong so often. We were putting leeches on psychotic patients to suck the demons out not too long ago. Not long ago enough to have earned the right to be considered an authority now on such matters.
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Many of us value our feelings and experiences more than what The Current Science’ says. Probably coz it lags so far behind reality and has been so wrong so often. We were putting leeches on psychotic patients to suck the demons out not too long ago. Not long ago enough to have earned the right to be considered an authority now on such matters.
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A55a551n
Timestamps
1. What is traumatic intelligence claiming 0: 44
2. The psychology behind the feeling: post - traumatic growth 1: 19
3. The other side of the coin: the cost of hyper-abilities 2: 09
4. The anime example: Levi Ackerman from attack on titan 3: 02
Hope this helps you out. Hope you have a nice day. Sorry this is so late.
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Timestamps
1. What is traumatic intelligence claiming 0: 44
2. The psychology behind the feeling: post - traumatic growth 1: 19
3. The other side of the coin: the cost of hyper-abilities 2: 09
4. The anime example: Levi Ackerman from attack on titan 3: 02
Hope this helps you out. Hope you have a nice day. Sorry this is so late.
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KanadeYoisaki-n3j
I guess the social trauma ive gone through has made me notice more about people. Reading people becoming more aware of feeling and threats. but i do still struggle wit the anxiety that comes with it.
Like noticing things but being unable to do anything about it, due to the same fear/ trauma that made me notice more about people.
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I guess the social trauma ive gone through has made me notice more about people. Reading people becoming more aware of feeling and threats. but i do still struggle wit the anxiety that comes with it.
Like noticing things but being unable to do anything about it, due to the same fear/ trauma that made me notice more about people.
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psych2go
What I appreciated most is the refusal to romanticize it growth and cost can exist side by side. Calling something a strength doesn't erase how exhausting it was to learn it, and I think a lot of people needed to hear that both things can be true at once. Thanks for giving this topic that kind of care instead of turning it into a label.
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What I appreciated most is the refusal to romanticize it growth and cost can exist side by side. Calling something a strength doesn't erase how exhausting it was to learn it, and I think a lot of people needed to hear that both things can be true at once. Thanks for giving this topic that kind of care instead of turning it into a label.
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Niyah2009
I can agree with this. even though I can't tell if I'm traumatized or fearful(Alexithymia, I believe)I dissociate and Swap personalities when I leave home. My therapist said it's a survival mechanic to help be around people(Since I suffer from social anxiety and I'm just people repulsed. does that have anything to do with this
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I can agree with this. even though I can't tell if I'm traumatized or fearful(Alexithymia, I believe)I dissociate and Swap personalities when I leave home. My therapist said it's a survival mechanic to help be around people(Since I suffer from social anxiety and I'm just people repulsed. does that have anything to do with this
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