• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

[INTJ] INTJ breakdown

LisainCA

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2008
Messages
10
MBTI Type
?N?P
The INTJs I have known (and there have been admittedly few of them) have not blown up ever. It seems like INTJs just don't blow up. They act as if. If they want to be happy, they act as if. If they want to be confident, they act as if. The few feelings they have are eaten and it would take an enormous amount for them to be overwhelmed by their feelings. I could see them dying of cancer at an early age or maybe becoming a serial killer, but not blowing up.
 

Frank

New member
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
Messages
689
I don't think they ever completely crack. I think they may fracture, sometimes extremely, compartmentalize, push forward, heal and/or push the stressors out of their mind and move on.
 

sriv

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
418
MBTI Type
JIxT
When I was less mature (age 9). I had something that came close to a breakdown. My parents were arguing about something utterly meaningless and it was rapidly escalating. I, with my horrible social skills, went in and just told them to stop, but my mom roughly shoved me away. It felt terrible and as I got back to work, I started tearing barely knowing why. Possibly the most irrational thing I ever done, I assume it was a breakout of Fi.
 

capaqua

New member
Joined
Apr 27, 2008
Messages
5
MBTI Type
intj
Generally INTJs (The seriously competitive ones) generally explode at some point, generally its the first relationship that pretty much does it, or any other situation where infinite logic and thought still will not remedy the situation.


You've basically pinpointed one of the two most serious problems in my life :shock:. How would i be able to come to terms with all of the undesirable emotions that I'm throwing at myself? Like I've totally accepted the fact that its over and done with, but there are still a lots of unnecessary residual negative feelings that don't seem to want to go away. I can't seem to get the entire last month, when shit fell apart, out of my mind. The pain associated with every memory just hits me at the oddest of moments and it's kind of unbearable.

To answer the actual concern of the thread, I had a mild breakdown in high school. It was induced by a few too many all-nighters, hating art class (the only class I ever liked up till that year), and my dad having a serious alcohol problem. Just a lot of hatred towards my dad and my teacher for making my life uncontrollably miserable. I basically just dropped out of every extra curricular activity in school, quit karate, quit my job, and slept a lot. I still managed to maintain a high GPA, but it was really the only thing i had enough energy to push myself to do. During this time, there would be a lot of crying, and with no one to talk to, I basically had to have a lot of conversations with myself. I was afraid I was going mental. I finally saw a psychiatrist and things started looking up.
 

Ishida

New member
Joined
May 5, 2008
Messages
132
MBTI Type
INTJ
Uh, I don't think I've had a "breakdown", but I have gotten really annoyed and depressed. I isolated myself and cried a lil', I don't know if it counts. I imagine it wouldn't be fun, as I do not anger easily.
 

Misty_Mountain_Rose

New member
Joined
Jul 21, 2008
Messages
1,123
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
4w5

To finish off that quote: "Or engaging in pointless acts of honor, like maintaining super-self-control or "doing one's duty" or going down with the ship. Nothing is gained by going down with the ship; it's a hyper-introverted act aimed at providing a rationalization for one's goodness without regard to real-world consequences. "

Yikes. Something happened at work last week. I found out that one of the bosses at work rigged a contest and I (and many others) were unwitting participants in the scheme. They made a huge production out of it, and the prize was not unsubstantial. We found out a few days later and I was immediately PISSED. I stewed on it for a few days and finally decided I was going to bring it up in front of everyone at the next company staff meeting (tomorrow). (Yes there is proof that it was rigged so I'm not accusing unjustly).

Most likely I'll lose my job... but I feel obligated to say my piece. Every time I think about it I get so angry I start to shake and end up in the kind of 'simmering rage' just waiting to be unleashed. What they did was wrong, and there can't be any justification they can give me to make it OK. So now I am on a quest to confront one of the company owners/boss and demand the truth... and I want it done in front of everyone. I'll probably regret it when I'm jobless and homeless.

I read the post below and all I could do was nod.

Attack an INTJs fundamental values and you are in for a hell of a fight. That is going straight for their weak Fi by which they reason the ethics of their ideologies and all the choices they make in their day to day lives. Argue that their values are distorted or wrong and it's like kicking at the supporting beam of all their reasoning and beliefs. You manage to shake it for one second, make them doubt the basis by which they have built all their beliefs, and the reaction could only be described as "snapping". All the emotion that an INTJ would normally control from influencing their thinking, is suddenly released, often in a very vicious and malevolent way.
 

Uytuun

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
1,633
MBTI Type
nnnn
To finish off that quote: "Or engaging in pointless acts of honor, like maintaining super-self-control or "doing one's duty" or going down with the ship. Nothing is gained by going down with the ship; it's a hyper-introverted act aimed at providing a rationalization for one's goodness without regard to real-world consequences. "

Yikes. Something happened at work last week. I found out that one of the bosses at work rigged a contest and I (and many others) were unwitting participants in the scheme. They made a huge production out of it, and the prize was not unsubstantial. We found out a few days later and I was immediately PISSED. I stewed on it for a few days and finally decided I was going to bring it up in front of everyone at the next company staff meeting (tomorrow). (Yes there is proof that it was rigged so I'm not accusing unjustly).

Most likely I'll lose my job... but I feel obligated to say my piece. Every time I think about it I get so angry I start to shake and end up in the kind of 'simmering rage' just waiting to be unleashed. What they did was wrong, and there can't be any justification they can give me to make it OK. So now I am on a quest to confront one of the company owners/boss and demand the truth... and I want it done in front of everyone. I'll probably regret it when I'm jobless and homeless.

:yes:

It's the only thing you can do, though.
 

Edgar

Nerd King Usurper
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
4,266
MBTI Type
INTJ
Instinctual Variant
sx
I flip my shit about once a year (i.e. yell uncontrollably at someone for about 3 minutes).

But then I regain my composure ~5 min later and regret flipping out.
 

WithoutaFace

New member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
275
MBTI Type
INTJ
I think an INTJ "breaking down" depends heavily on the environment that she/he is in. When I was young I used to get into malicious arguments with my parents all the time. They were ISFP and ESFJ. I perceived everything they did as an attempt to control and socialize me. This pissed me off like you would not believe.

However, when I am at work, I am always in control. I am in a position of authority where people listen to what I have to say. My coworkers always value my input and frequently ask me for advice. Rarely do coworkers disagree with a method or course of action I propose. My ideas always seem to make sense in the workplace, regardless of how it finally materializes.

When I am in control, I feel good. When I am not in control, I still feel good about to trying to leverage the situation back into my control. It is when someone or something encroaches my personal space that I feel threatened and negatively charged, to the point of effusiveness.

INTJs aren't the only ones threatened by lack of control. It should be noted from basic psychology that lack of predictability and control in any situation raises the stress level and pushes the threshold of any individual regardless of temperament. However, I would conjecture that the INTJ temperament is especially fragile in this regard.
 

chegra

New member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
132
MBTI Type
INFJ
Most likely I'll lose my job... but I feel obligated to say my piece. Every time I think about it I get so angry I start to shake and end up in the kind of 'simmering rage' just waiting to be unleashed. What they did was wrong, and there can't be any justification they can give me to make it OK. So now I am on a quest to confront one of the company owners/boss and demand the truth... and I want it done in front of everyone. I'll probably regret it when I'm jobless and homeless.

I read the post below and all I could do was nod.
Let me know how it goes, but personally I wouldn't do anything that will put my job in danger unless I am assured of another one.

I dont know for other types but for entj not having a job is like one of the most demoralizing thing ever.

Well maybe I should say not making money.
 

Jwill

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2009
Messages
85
MBTI Type
INTJ
I almost never crack, but I remember this one time a few years ago. My sister had just had her third baby, so I was babysitting the first two kids while she recovered. Anyway, this was during my winter break from university, so I was really looking forward to some good quality time by myself. Instead, I had to babysit two very active kids all day. My sister didn't want the kids watching more than an hour of tv a day (that's what they do at their house usually). I was babysitting at my parent's house, though, where there were hardly any toys for the kids to play with, so it was pretty much me entertaining them all day. They'd wake up super early everyday, too!

Anyway, my neice was going through an "I hate everyone but Grandma and Mommy" phase, and this one day she wouldn't stop crying all day and kept hiccuping about how she didn't like me. I was sleep-deprived, I had absolutely no "me" time in the last week, this was supposed to be my vacation, and I was obviously not doing a good job with the kids anyway. I snapped. When my mom came home from work, I got really angry and yelled about how I never wanted kids of my own and stormed off (note: I usually love kids and I'm the "favorite aunt" because I bribe kids with kisses, presents, and candy). I totally lost my cool. Later, I started sobbing into my mom's arms for, like, half an hour. I NEVER ever cry! It was surreal.

I chalk the whole thing up to sleep deprivation and not having enough introverted time. I felt like everything was out of control, that I wasn't even making a difference, and that I was suffering needlessly. I think that's probably the worst breakdown I've ever had in my whole life. When my SFJ sisters lived with me, they'd breakdown like that about twice a week...
 

Skyline

New member
Joined
Oct 17, 2008
Messages
69
I've had a breakdown a few years ago, during my teenage life: I felt very rejected (and sometimes misunderstood,...) and this made me doubt myself (and others) enormously, I felt deprived like I couldn't develop my true qualities (and held back through others), I disliked my social environment greatly and felt apathetic, I felt challenged as if I constantly had to prove myself instead of feeling challenged on healthy growing. (Basically my social life was a twisted mess, my situation with my parents was a mess [and my parents as parents often seemed like a mess], and I did not get the challenge I wanted education wise - resulting into me wanting to strive for more but not knowing where to start.) I tried to dissect my life piece by piece. : Eventually I took this as a project to try and overcome these struggles and ever since I did see it as a challenge for myself to learn from instead of being destructive.

So basically I've been going in and out of stress modes constantly over the past years and have felt very pissed off, lonely, doubtful and confused at times.
Given that I care about being treated with justice and care and that I'm a perfectionist you could understand how I've been both angry at myself and others.

I'm currently becoming happier and healthier and I've only recently discovered my INTJ-alike nature. I have been pushed against a lot and I think that is why I have become more aware of certain weaknesses, resulting in both a lack of trust and confidence but on the other hand an extreme need for balance and having a non-regular drive. This has made me self aware and observant towards certain aspects, and hopefully a better person in the long run.
Sometimes I still have spiralling moments but overall I'm content that things are developping for the better, as my situation in the past has been pretty gloomy and I felt quite lost at times.
I don't know what to hold onto besides myself & other resources & the knowledge that there *are* people I can count on if I let them know what's up (even though this critical need has been abandoned by myself and others [parents, *some* teachers but luckily there were a select few exceptions around] in the past, I won't let that happen in the future).

I'm glad I've learned not to chalk things up as if everything's still under control, and that when I confront people on important issues I need to take a leeway and consider people skills. I've been delving a lot into psychology on various subjects and have also done volunteering work with kids with difficulties in order to try and gain new experiences and insights on What's, Why's and How's.
 

Athenian200

Protocol Droid
Joined
Jul 1, 2007
Messages
8,828
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4w5
They get really obsessive and paranoid about everything, and this obsession has a passionate tinge.

Just like INFJs, except INFJ obsession has a cold tinge at this point.

I know this, because I'm insane.

The point is, when types are broken, the conflict between the dominant and inferior consumes everything, and they develop an extreme neurosis that resolves the conflict by denying, distorting, or destroying the aspect of reality that symbolizes the conflict in a self-destructive way.

Insanity has been quite enlightening for me. Although I would have to say most people have an inaccurate understanding of it. Insanity isn't the result of losing your sense of reality. It's what happens when a person sees through what we accept as reality, and knowing the truth of their existence makes them unable to function or survive. Regaining your sanity is actually about rejecting what you know and finding a reason to embrace the common delusions again.
 

Skyline

New member
Joined
Oct 17, 2008
Messages
69
They get really obsessive and paranoid about everything, and this obsession has a passionate tinge.

Just like INFJs, except INFJ obsession has a cold tinge at this point.

I know this, because I'm insane.

Obsessive and paranoid, sounds about right. :p

Also I've experienced insecurity problems but people are barely able to tell as this is one of the last things they expect of me. Only those who really care to look closer can suddenly spot my vulnerabilities & quirky tendencies.
 

entropie

Permabanned
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
16,767
MBTI Type
entp
Enneagram
783
INTJ crack bar, not to be confused with the entp crack Bar xD

crowbar.jpg
 

Kra

Black Magic Buzzard
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Messages
912
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
4w5
I can't say that I've ever had a breakdown, but I'd imagine that it's as Athenian mentioned. Se acting up is the cause of many grievances for me at least.

Unhealthy inferior Se likes indulgence, and likes to goad Ni with things that aren't really there (paranoia).
 

VagrantFarce

Active member
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
1,558
I would guess when reality (Se) starts to truly threaten an INTJs perspective on life (Ni), and they resist it, they'd crack eventually.

"I couldn't possibly let go, then nothing would matter or be of significance! EVERYONE STAY DOWN I'VE GOT A GUN"
 

Kalach

Filthy Apes!
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
4,310
MBTI Type
INTJ
I suspect one way to crack an INTJ is actually to take away his Se. That small modicum of contact with the outside world and the opportunity to do and see things. Pressure builds up in Fi as Ni/Te bloats with instructions on what to do that don't get done. Hanging out with ENXJs too much will do it. Giving a billion ways to think about stuff but no way to implement will do it. But it takes a while. You have to let him see the world passing him by in ways that he wishes it wouldn't.

The overloaded Fi eventually bursts out and drags the Se with it, and you get the drunken, bloodied and tearful ESFP we all love.
 

Uytuun

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
1,633
MBTI Type
nnnn
I suspect one way to crack an INTJ is actually to take away his Se. That small modicum of contact with the outside world and the opportunity to do and see things. Pressure builds up in Fi as Ni/Te bloats with instructions on what to do that don't get done. Hanging out with ENXJs too much will do it. Giving a billion ways to think about stuff but no way to implement will do it. But it takes a while. You have to let him see the world passing him by in ways that he wishes it wouldn't.

The overloaded Fi eventually bursts out and drags the Se with it, and you get the drunken, bloodied and tearful ESFP we all love.

Fuck yeah.

Mmm, need to go on a :heart:-ripping-out spree soon.
 

Misty_Mountain_Rose

New member
Joined
Jul 21, 2008
Messages
1,123
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
4w5
Insanity isn't the result of losing your sense of reality. It's what happens when a person sees through what we accept as reality, and knowing the truth of their existence makes them unable to function or survive. Regaining your sanity is actually about rejecting what you know and finding a reason to embrace the common delusions again.

This is brilliant. I think I've had this same realization only I've never been able to articulate it. THANKS!

I suspect one way to crack an INTJ is actually to take away his Se. That small modicum of contact with the outside world and the opportunity to do and see things. Pressure builds up in Fi as Ni/Te bloats with instructions on what to do that don't get done. Hanging out with ENXJs too much will do it. Giving a billion ways to think about stuff but no way to implement will do it. But it takes a while. You have to let him see the world passing him by in ways that he wishes it wouldn't.

The overloaded Fi eventually bursts out and drags the Se with it, and you get the drunken, bloodied and tearful ESFP we all love.


I dunno if taking away the Se would cause it to happen... I can go a really long time as an oblivious 'mad hatter' without really ever touching back to reality when I want to. The lack of influence from the external world doesn't seem to bother me much. Its when I have too MUCH exposure to it that I kind of go through phases of ... degeneration:

1. Fatigue

2. Irritability

3. Feeling of being near to tears if I can't get some quiet time

4. Sense of impending implosion nearing and a desperate attempt to fix it before it happens. Possible anger/ short fuse.

5. Denial that anything is wrong. Grasp the Te by the horns and FORCE it to keep going forward. Afterall, feelings are just feelings and when things need to be done, the feelings have to take a back seat. A short lived triumph at pushing on is soon replaced by a frantic thought of 'I can't do this...' which is even more scary because I like to feel like I can do anything. In fact... during times of stress I've said that phrase to myself so often that it has blurred into one word. "Icandothis. Icandothis." I am Near panic.

6. Complete surrender to all whims and desires. I am suddenly on a kind of 'kamikaze', hell bent trail to have 'fun' at any cost. I drink, I dance, I sing karaoke, I invite that guy over who stays on the 'booty call' list, I. I. I.... It becomes ALL about me (moreso than usual) and it tends to happen very quickly... like a firecracker going off. Seems that the tighter I try to hold onto that 'Icandothis' stage, the harder it hits when I break.

After the explosion of Se I just feel worn out and kind of... empty. But better. :cheese:

The cycle can repeat though, and go back and forth between the lower stages as it progresses... 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3, 4, 3, 5... *6* And if the problems that brought me to that point aren't resolved, the whole thing kind of happens again, only seemingly faster.
 
Top