Now I’m training in my new job and I don’t feel like I’m learning as quickly as I should and I’m frustrated with myself.
My notes are terrible sometimes. And I need lots of repetition to get things in my head. The way training is going is you do each process once with a trainer and are then expected to know it.
I used to catch on that quickly, but not anymore and I’m frustrated because I want to do well and succeed.
My trainer says I’m learning on schedule and not behind but I feel so incompetent
When i worked on computer i was always quicker learning once out of training and on the job. Its not easy absorbing a lot of information in the classroom/ during training
Note taking was always a problem for me. I’m a slow writer(ditto typing). The quality of my handwriting is even poorer if I try to write at what for other people would be an average speed.
I totally relate to this. I was labeled as “gifted” as a child, put in special programs for gifted kids, stuff like that. Lol I was like Malcom in the Middle.
I don’t learn things anywhere near as quickly as I used to, which is most evident when I get a new job. I learn by doing, could never just watch someone do something one time and be able to remember it and do it myself.
I figure it’s probably partly the illness, partly the meds and, perhaps, partly the cannabis. My past alcohol abuse probably hasn’t helped me either.
Yeah @freakonaleash , I totally relate. I do think the meds affect my ability to think quickly and remember things. I require high dose APs in order to calm me down enough to go out and live life but it comes at a price. Hopefully I succeed. I’m going to give it my all though and hope for the best.
@Azley yes, it is a muscle that I need to get back into shape. Thanks.
Yes. Even highly intelligent people with schizophrenia often show processing speed difficulties, because slowed processing is one of the most consistent and robust cognitive impairments linked to the condition. High IQ may buffer performance in some areas, but it does not fully protect against this specific deficit.
Key Points from Research
Processing speed deficits are central in schizophrenia
Meta-analyses identify slowed processing speed as the largest single cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, more pronounced than deficits in memory or reasoning.
High IQ does not eliminate the problem
Studies comparing individuals with schizophrenia across different IQ levels show that processing speed deficits persist even in those with above-average or superior intelligence. While high IQ may help compensate in tasks requiring reasoning or problem-solving, the bottleneck of slower information processing remains.
Why processing speed matters
It underpins many higher-order functions (working memory, executive control, verbal fluency).
Slowed speed can explain why intelligent individuals with schizophrenia may still struggle with daily functioning, multitasking, or adapting quickly to new information.
Research suggests dysfunction in frontoparietal neural networks—which normally support fluid intelligence—contributes to this inefficiency.
Clinical and functional impact
Slower processing speed is linked to poorer employment outcomes, reduced independence, and social difficulties.
It also mediates the effect of negative and disorganization symptoms on verbal fluency.
How Intelligence Interacts with Schizophrenia
Protective but not absolute: High intelligence can mask or compensate for some deficits, allowing better coping strategies.
Relative weakness: Even if someone scores in the high-average or superior range overall, their processing speed index (e.g., on the WAIS-IV) is often disproportionately lower compared to their verbal comprehension or reasoning scores.
Functional paradox: This means a person may appear highly articulate and insightful, yet still struggle with tasks requiring rapid mental shifts, sustained attention under time pressure, or fast-paced environments.
Takeaway
Processing speed inefficiency is a core cognitive vulnerability in schizophrenia, present across IQ levels. High intelligence can soften the impact but rarely erases it. This explains why even very bright individuals with schizophrenia may experience real-world challenges that seem inconsistent with their intellectual potential.
Would you like me to sketch out a visual profile diagram (like a WAIS-style index comparison) showing how a high-IQ person with schizophrenia might score across domains, with processing speed as the relative dip? That could make the pattern clearer at a glance.
With AI you don’t even need intelligence. There’s an app for everything. Every subject. Get a tutor. You just need money to pay for these services. Mentors. The more money, the more access. If you’re poor you’re on your own and you become a cheerleader against people who travel through the economy with ease. It’s all a game.
It really sounds by your other posts that you are doing fine, @LilyoftheValley . If you have lost some learning ability, so what? It happens. I used to be able to run a great distance and still be able to breathe. Be thankful for what you still have. And that appears to be significant. We all lose some when we get older. It sounds like you have plenty left in the tank to do your job well.
Key Points from Research
How Intelligence Interacts with Schizophrenia
Takeaway