[NF] NFs and Anxiety/Depression

[Susah]

I used to think so, but I've seen other types mistype as NF, specifically INFP, often, when they're depressed.

Hah that is delightful!

 

[zelo1954]

Given that the world is largely run by people whose dominant function is our shadow this outcome is not surprising. What we can do about it is quite another question. Not only do we not have the functions, we don't have the numbers either. It's only comparatively recently I've realised the horrible clash there is between Ne and Te types. Te types want to plan every task and set measureable targets. For Ne types what works best is a bit of planning followed by a bit of doing, followed by a bit of plan revision and extending - then several iterations of that. Wasn't it John Lennon who said: "Life is what happens to you when you are busy making other plans"?

 

[AzulEyes]

What a great thread. I wish it was more recent. Hope I'm not "bumping" as a faux pas?
ENFP with anxiety. Anxiety manifested after years of being a hyper ass ENFP and running on the hamster wheel of work and life.
Until finally I became like a game of Jinga. Blocks were pulled out of my game ("dog dies," "lose job," "friend dies," "money worries") and JINGA - game over in the form of severe panic attacks that made me believe I had pneumonia because it felt like I couldn't breathe.

And severe Si Choke Hold and physical symptoms and fears galore. Yikes. Sux. I still grapple with anxiety- though it's under control with meds, acknowledgement and coping strategies, prayer and lifestyle changes. I would like to get off the meds. But I'm afraid to. I never want to lose the Jinga game again. (I guess you can call it a nervous breakdown.) That was so scary.

 

[five sounds]

What a great thread. I wish it was more recent. Hope I'm not "bumping" as a faux pas?
ENFP with anxiety. Anxiety manifested after years of being a hyper ass ENFP and running on the hamster wheel of work and life.
Until finally I became like a game of Jinga. Blocks were pulled out of my game ("dog dies," "lose job," "friend dies," "money worries") and JINGA - game over in the form of severe panic attacks that made me believe I had pneumonia because it felt like I couldn't breathe.

And severe Si Choke Hold and physical symptoms and fears galore. Yikes. Sux. I still grapple with anxiety- though it's under control with meds, acknowledgement and coping strategies, prayer and lifestyle changes. I would like to get off the meds. But I'm afraid to. I never want to lose the Jinga game again. (I guess you can call it a nervous breakdown.) That was so scary.

The same thing happened to me. I'm terrified of it now.

 

[AzulEyes]

The same thing happened to me. I'm terrified of it now.

Girl- you are my long lost twin!
We should PM more about this.

 

[hjgbujhghg]

What a great thread. I wish it was more recent. Hope I'm not "bumping" as a faux pas?
ENFP with anxiety. Anxiety manifested after years of being a hyper ass ENFP and running on the hamster wheel of work and life.
Until finally I became like a game of Jinga. Blocks were pulled out of my game ("dog dies," "lose job," "friend dies," "money worries") and JINGA - game over in the form of severe panic attacks that made me believe I had pneumonia because it felt like I couldn't breathe.

And severe Si Choke Hold and physical symptoms and fears galore. Yikes. Sux. I still grapple with anxiety- though it's under control with meds, acknowledgement and coping strategies, prayer and lifestyle changes. I would like to get off the meds. But I'm afraid to. I never want to lose the Jinga game again. (I guess you can call it a nervous breakdown.) That was so scary.

Almost the same here! I am pretty active person, but I've always had problems with depression and once it just changed to one huge panic attack, when all the thoughts and tensions I've felt over the years came out and I just felt like dying at that moment. I somehow got over it now, but it starts up some anxiety issues within me and fear of getting all those physical and emotional sympotons back again... It can really suck sometime...

 

[AzulEyes]

Almost the same here! I am pretty active person, but I've always had problems with depression and once it just changed to one huge panic attack, when all the thoughts and tensions I've felt over the years came out and I just felt like dying at that moment. I somehow got over it now, but it starts up some anxiety issues within me and fear of getting all those physical and emotional sympotons back again... It can really suck sometime...

Sorry- I know how that scary feeling is- you do feel like you can literally die. Hang tough. I will too. We can let off steam here!!

 

[1AuroraAngel1]

I am an INFP with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It's awful and I wish it would just go away.

 

[ndovjtjcaqidthi]

I am an INFP with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It's awful and I wish it would just go away.

Have you been diagnosed by a doctor?

 

[JAVO]

I am an INFP with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It's awful and I wish it would just go away.

Is the diagnosis helpful to you at all? Or, does it focus your attention away from working toward solving the problem?

Modern science and medicine don't understand much about many so-called disorders. They haven't proven that many of these are biological in cause rather than cognitive, yet their exclusive prescribed remedy targets the biological. Why? Because it's less work for them, more money for them, and more money for the drug companies.

Often, I think a diagnosis is a cage which prevents healing of the root cause.

I apologize if I sound like I'm ranting. I'm just trying to present the other side of the story which you're unlikely to hear.

 

[Redbone]

I've struggled with depression and I guess you could call it cyclothymia. Bad, nasty mood swings. Two people in me and they really don't get along well at all. There's nothing they won't stoop to in their fight for ascendancy over me!

I always feel like I'm swimming or running as fast as I can to keep "it" from catching up with me. I don't know what "it" is supposed to be but it's bad...something big, horrible...the point of total and complete collapse. Where I cannot function, where NOTHING is okay and will never be okay again no matter what. Okay...yes, I've had this happen but it passes...I'm afraid of this catching me and I never get up again.

 

[á´…eparted]

I was recently diagnosed with Bipolar II (now taking meds to attempt to manage it). The worst aspects of it for me is how bad the depressions spells can get. I suppose then I fit the "stereotype" of NF types being emotionally messed up. That said, I do not agree with the notion that NF types are more predisposed to mental illnesses (in the ways of anxiety and or depression). I wouldn't be shocked if there is a slight correlation between NF's and those, but I doubt it is very strong. There are so many ways in which mental illness can manifest, and I don't believe it's rational to think cognitive functions predispose one to some. It doesn't work that way.

 

[Mole]

We are meaning creating animals, and when our culture is impoverished of meaning, we become depressed and anxious.

But worse, not only is our culture poor in meaning, our culture is individualistic, so we blame our depression and anxiety on our individual selves, rather than enriching the society in which we breath and live.

 

[Firebird 8118]

I've struggled with depression and I guess you could call it cyclothymia. Bad, nasty mood swings. Two people in me and they really don't get along well at all. There's nothing they won't stoop to in their fight for ascendancy over me!

I always feel like I'm swimming or running as fast as I can to keep "it" from catching up with me. I don't know what "it" is supposed to be but it's bad...something big, horrible...the point of total and complete collapse. Where I cannot function, where NOTHING is okay and will never be okay again no matter what. Okay...yes, I've had this happen but it passes...I'm afraid of this catching me and I never get up again.

This is exactly the sort of thing I feel I've been going through - for years, in fact. I just couldn't quite give it a name until recently.

 

[Eluded_One]

When I was deeply depressed and living in what I would recognize as waking up in the morning and contemplating on when will be the next time the pain and hurt would all end. Then it came to me, the paradox for suicide, "letting it all go", has the same meaning as quite the contrary - and that is life.

Truth of the matter is, we don't let things go because we are afraid to embrace a new life by breaking old patterns. With all the information available to us in this day and age, most of us already know where to begin, but when is the question we have to ask ourselves.

In no particular order, my favorite priorities for getting better:

-a rich inner world
-positive self-image
-healthy diet/exercise
-a nice place to meditate and relax
-a community with like-minded individuals
-and a shitload of laughter

 

[Eluded_One]

People don't always have some of those options, that's the problem.
Eating healthy is an expensive luxury for most people. I know I don't have the option to eat as healthy as I'd like.
Being an INFJ there aren't really any communities for us, I believe. There are a small amount of us and we are scattered all over. Who knows where we all are.

Can you elaborate what a healthy diet means to you? It can mean many things to different people.

Get into a community with shared passions. It has little to do with being INFJ or ESTP or any other type. I'm in a community that has nothing to do with me being an INFP. Have you tried hanging out at the local music store? Now and then you might bump into a non-pretentious music buff.

 

[Mole]

Eating healthy is an expensive luxury for most people.

Eating fresh fruit and vegetables, including sprouts, nuts and seeds, with fish twice a week is inexpensive here.

Fruit and vegetables are inexpensive because they are free from the Goods and Services Tax, and two whole oily fish such as mackeral or trout twice a week are inexpensive.

What is expensive is one or two coffees a day, two or more alcoholic drinks a day, illegal drugs, and fast food washed down with soft drinks.

Fresh fruit and vegetables, including nuts, seeds and sprouts, can be deliciously prepared in a blender, and a whole mackeral grills beautifully.

And even more important is to invite someone to share a delicious meal with you once a week.

 

[meowington]

I am an INFP with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It's awful and I wish it would just go away.

It is awful and if you are in early adolescence it will go away.

 

[buddy2eyes]

US stuffs are expensive. I don't know much but have seen their price on some sites to understand your position.

Maybe you should try some menu which can be kept in refrigerator like fried rice, salad(not mixing with cream), dried food or any that won't go rotten easily. Since fruits are most expensive, others with useful amount like cabbage could be used as replace for. Left chicken bones for some soup bowl to relax your body. I'm not sure if some edible plants can grow in US but if there are, you should have one or two edible plants in your garden. Herbal juice is great too. If not, mix warm water with honey and lemon, it tastes good too!

I think NFs anxiety/depression cause was from how they tend to live with their inner self/emotion/thinking/feeling in immoderate time. Well, it's our nature anyway, lol!
When the time you're in depression or feeling anxiety. Absorbing things outside of yourself is the best way, at least in my case. Watching movies, gardening, cooking, walking around, go outside and such is great too. But the best is, we need to "Have conversation with Another One, Not with ourselves." I'd like to go to bar and talk with bartender like in the movies as well. LOL~ Expressing what you feel, receiving advice from them. Sometimes enjoying activities with them is great too.

If you're alone. It's time to find your new companion... I mean friend! I know it's hard but we can do it.
Community like this web board but another (If you like Marvel stuff, then you'd find it! Like that), following twitter accounts with who you want to talk or find them interesting to talk with, facebook group and such. Meeting with new one who have same interested stuffs could be lead to the new relationship. Make your chance Little conversation with real person such as workers in restaurant and such like "Thanks" when they do their job for you is a little things which it's great too.

 

[Eluded_One]

Organic food. Non GMO, no pesticides, herbacides, nitrates, nitrites, etc etc. I have to eat a lot of packaged, processed food that is not healthy in general. I would rather cook/make my food.

My opinion on food is as follows:

- The amount of pesticide residue found in fruit varies. For instance, strawberries are sprayed with over 12 different pesticides. Here's a list of foods to avoid if non-organic: [video]http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02985/Foods-You-Should-Always-Buy-Organic.html[/video]
- processed foods with nitrates and other chemicals are far more dangerous than dealing with pesticide residue.
- stay away from high fructose sugar
- keep away from almonds that are not raw-organic. almonds are now sprayed with PPO gas after a following of a salmonella outbreak.

This does not mean I am not open to talking to anyone and trying to make friends with someone despite differences cause I like to focus on what I have in common with people, not what divides us.
Just a lot of drinking, drugging, and clubbing which is just very unappealing to me.

I know plenty of people that do the things you mentioned. The only deal breaker I see is if they influence me to also do those things. In other case, I don't see myself as being much different than they are, I have my own addictions as well. Perhaps what divides us is what also keeps us together.