INFJ Mental Disorders, Health & Emotional Sensitivity

INFJ Mental Disorders, Health & Emotional Sensitivity The_Scream-237x300 INFJ & MBTI As some of you might have noticed there has yet again been radio silence on this blog for the last months. I’ve been busy on an exciting project overseas so have not been able to do any posts here like I would have liked to. I will probably be busy another month or two but I have still been collecting material for you guys so as soon as I’m done I will be back flooding this blog with new posts. Meanwhile I thought I’ll do a short one adding on some observations and thoughts that’s been lingering in the back of my head during these months.

I want to talk a bit about INFJs and mental health, something that seem to be a quite popular and reacquiring subject out there. Unfortunately mental health is somewhat a struggle for many INFJs and there are many misconceptions concerning it. Misconceptions in the regard that INFJs would in some way be weaker on a mentally and emotionally level and that would be why many struggle with anxiety and depression. It is true that we are more sensitive then other personalities but that doesn’t necessary equal anything along the lines of weakness. It has been shown that INxx types in general are the ones that often struggle with emotional sensitivity. I would say that a heightened emotional sensitivity is as much a strength as it can make life harder at times. You are merely playing on a completely different playing field then less emotionally evolved people. Being more sensitive to emotions equals a greater understanding and perception of them. It is easy for other people to call you unstable or emotional when they themselves cannot perceive the situation at hand. We all view life through different lenses, but INFJs can often view life throughout multiple lenses, free from conditioning or influence. Being this type of empathic people with often divided personalities is what makes it hard in comparison with others. Yet there is nothing wrong with us or our mental health, simply the fault lies in the rest of the worlds comparison of us with themselves.

The nature of intuition is in not trusting how things appear even thought answers may be laid out in front of you. Always searching for alternative possibilities, clues or hints of the true nature of things. It is no wonder why INFJs can easily feel that they are losing their grip when as an introverted intuitive dominant, your are always changing and  endlessly searching for meaning within yourself and the rest of the world. This is what intuition is meant to do, and in there lies much of the problem when it comes to mental  health issues. You can ask yourself the question that if you no longer trust what you can see and feel with your own senses, does that mean you are mentally ill? An unhealthy version of this would be somebody who is schizophrenic. Yet there are similarities here like being able to view the world unattached from presumptions of how things are and should be. In other words, viewing it free from previous experiences, like you would view it for the very first time. In order for INFJs to draw those incredible conclusions about the nature of things this is what is needed on a mental level. So it is not hard to understand that always operating in this type of functionality comes with certain drawbacks. Like when we get stressed or pressured we can even stop trusting ourselves and our own existence.

How do you handle your thoughts and emotions when they seem even more real then the things happening in the world around you? Here is where our inferior function comes in, and the reason we have this fetish for extroverted sensing is because without it we would lose ourselves completely. It is the counter weight to our intuition which keeps it from tipping off the scale, which is what can happen when we get stressed. The scale can also be tipped in favor of the inferior function under stress, and we start to judge ourselves and who we are from our results in the outside world. This is very much the complete opposite of who we really are as INFJs. Negative life experiences often reinforces negative self value, and this is what happens with INFJs that operate to much in their inferior function. You start to forget who you are and your own value. You forget one of the most special things that you have as an INFJ which is emotional health, morals and values which are pure and unaffected by the external world. Because we all know that you cannot change the opinion of an INFJ, and you cannot force us to believe in anything we don’t.

To wrap this all up I want to share some tips concerning emotional health. If you often struggle with anxiety, negative self thoughts and fears, it is important to remember one thing. You are not your thoughts. The brain is an organ like any other in the body. The heart pumps blood, the stomach digest food and the brain creates thoughts. It is it’s sole function and you cannot stop it from happening. What you can do on the other hand is understand this process and that just because the thoughts are there and pass by in your mind, doesn’t mean they are true.

To master your emotions you need to master your mind. The key to this is mindfulness practise. Here is a book I highly  recommend to get started with mindfulness:

 

 

Comments

  1. vanessa says

    ´´ To master your emotions you need to master your mind. The key to this is mindfulness practise. Here is a book I highly recommend to get started with mindfulness: ´´

    there is no book or link

  2. vanessa says

    i feel highly sensitive but there´s also a toughness about me. i`m more tough than many in ways. i just additionally also feel more. i think there´s a kind of bravery, feeling so much, instant feeling that goes into the body, all these impressions that go into the body and are felt, a lot of pain sometimes, sometimes anguish, and the bravery to work on the good things with grit and anger about injustice, fighting inspite of pain. sensitive, hurting and strong.

    but i do know dealing with inferior functions all to well and how they affect one. i think some call it ´´ the grip ´´ ? i know that all too well.

    but mental illness, i don´t have any mental illnesses. i have weaknesses, that are sometimes also strengths. but am quite healthy mentally.

  3. Amelia says

    My INFJ boyfriend has become emotionally and mentally abusive. I know it comes from a place of fear, but it’s getting really bad between us.
    How much is too much? How long do you stay sensitive to your SO’s needs when they start making you ashamed for being the person you are, or thinking the way you do, or using the wrong words, or ….. ?

  4. Bobbie says

    My INFJ fiancé have found each other after being apart for 7 years due to things at that time didn’t allow us to be together. For 2 years he searched for me and finally found me in November. The side of him is what a true INFJ is and he’s made me feel nothing but loved and beautiful. Only the last 4 months I saw the “other side ” of him during what I have found out to be the Grip. He was critical , resentful ,selfish , and very insensitive to me in all aspects. He says sorry but during that Grip he can’t get past it After reading his personality and seeing “him” in all of these I want to stand by him because I know I’m the only person who has seen this side of him and not run off but in furture I won’t loose myself when he faces these stressors etc. my question is what can I do when this happens and what can he do to recognize it and control it

    • Alex says

      Hey Bobbie,
      Thanks for reading. Everybody has bad sides and good sides, nobody is perfect. Choosing to be with someone is to love them for who they are, both the good parts of them as well as the bad ones. Same as he will have to love every part of you if you choose to be together. The important aspect is that he is aware that he in hurting you behaving like that. All relationships have ups and down, that is all part of being together with somebody that is different from yourself. Make sure you talk it out and that you both do what you can to make both of you feel as comfortable as you can with each other.

  5. Roger says

    Is it a certain very high stressed times over 5 years I noticed something strange. I reverse in the high stress reactions you posted. A few times it lasted only a few months. Right now I am on month 9, But after month 5, I have both !!!!!! Month 7, My brain is so over loaded with thoughts and memories that I can see and feel. I also have a thought place it aside while thinking of it and I can do anther one at the same time??? Can people do this? I am 48 years old and Male. At the same time 5 years ago, when I would rub my Wife’s back I started to feel little zaps. She would laugh I kid you not. The closer to her skin it felt incredible it was like Therapy for me…Even a slight touch I can feel it…Also can a very high stressed problem cause these to come out at my age? TY, You site is a wealth of information.

    • Alex says

      Maybe you are growing INFJ super powers ;) Considering how complex the brain is I’m sure a lot of strange things are possible. If you had a health checkup and everything is ok I would say you might experience some kind of ESP abilities. I read that these usually increase in intensity with age. INFJs are known to often have ESP. I for sure had many strange situations happen to me that I cannot explain. Like how I can finish other people’s sentences before they do, I somehow know sometimes what other people are thinking and feeling. It the talent that is the most precious to me but also comes with suffering since you can’t shut it off and sometimes I just soak up to much negativity from people.

  6. Kara says

    Good to see you back even if momentarily. I am a fellow INFJ, and oddly enough, a counselor, and yet I can at times question my own actions and emotions. I like how you put it though, being who we are can make us more vulnerable to our emotions but yet it’s our strength as well. I am learning to trust my intuition more and more and, yes, learn to let go of negative thoughts. Thanks for the insight. We are a rare species!

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