the Form of the Inferior - ENPs

[Lady_X]

Ooh interesting thought sy..makes sense to me. Ya need to get your ne on man!

Me too...I think most of us in this thread do.

 

[Moiety]

Yeah my Fi is bigger then my Ne though. I might be an INFP. Or have become one.

 

[Lady_X]

way too e to be an infp imo.

 

[Moiety]

way too e to be an infp imo.

Yeah I guess that's true. Just a very unhealthy form of ENFP.

 

[gromit]

I'm sure it depends on the person but for me if I'm feeling depressed the easiest way to feel better is to go out and be around lots of people and be chatty with them or get out of town..a road trip usually but if I could I'd love to just hop on a plane and visit a new city..really just a new environment to explore or new people to engage with.

So doing something like this is like setting up the conditions in which your Ne can become engaged?

 

[Lady_X]

So doing something like this is like setting up the conditions in which your Ne can become engaged?

sure it's not the only way but i need to be around new environments or new people or new ideas...i need to have new information coming in to make my brain start going off in overdrive happy enthusiastic mode.

 

[sculpting]

So doing something like this is like setting up the conditions in which your Ne can become engaged?

When a teen I would do this sort of fixation a lot and feel real bad. I would then try and identify what exactly it was that was bothering me-why did I feel bad? Then come up with a specific plan to address.

If it is short term reading a good book will help, or anything to help remove the stressful thoughts. Long term-reflecting on what is important to accomplish in the next three months-not today. Then plan for that.

My job has been very hard the last year. In January I made a very clear choice to emotionally detach. I still try and work hard but I wont work 60 weeks and get up at 3 am everyday to try and duct tape issues together. I let stuff fall through the cracks at times understanding the system is broken.

It's real hard as i know those problems will end up on someone else's back and I used to feel very guilty, but I couldnt handle the emo burden anymore.

 

[gromit]

Thank you Lady X and Happy Puppy.

 

[brainheart]

This thread has really affected me, in a way no other threads have. I was feeling really down about it this morning, about this Si hiding I've been doing for years. And it's so true- what others say about how quickly things change once your Ne is engaged- I become so on, so right- awed, inspired, energetic, capable. Me.

It also got me thinking about Te/Ti. And Fi. The thinking side of me does not feel healthy or natural, just like the Si. It seems like something I think I'm supposed to be, not what I really am. But it's this role I've been playing for years and years. My dad's an ISTJ, and I can just feel myself, often, being him- like his costume is draped over me and I'm exercising the same restraint, obsessing over things I really, in all honesty, don't care about. But it's hiding. It's playing it safe.

I have gone through so much personality assessing/evaluating ever since I had a bipolar episode three years ago. It's like I'm inspecting the bomb fragments to get an accurate picture of the whole- when if I were to just look at the whole, it would probably make a lot more sense to me. (Shitty metaphor. Sorry...)

Oh, I am feeling like I am in a seriously weird place right now...

 

[teslashock]

The OP is pure gold. Very nice. Thanks for the post.

 

[Lady_X]

This thread has really affected me, in a way no other threads have. I was feeling really down about it this morning, about this Si hiding I've been doing for years. And it's so true- what others say about how quickly things change once your Ne is engaged- I become so on, so right- awed, inspired, energetic, capable. Me.

It also got me thinking about Te/Ti. And Fi. The thinking side of me does not feel healthy or natural, just like the Si. It seems like something I think I'm supposed to be, not what I really am. But it's this role I've been playing for years and years. My dad's an ISTJ, and I can just feel myself, often, being him- like his costume is draped over me and I'm exercising the same restraint, obsessing over things I really, in all honesty, don't care about. But it's hiding. It's playing it safe.

I have gone through so much personality assessing/evaluating ever since I had a bipolar episode three years ago. It's like I'm inspecting the bomb fragments to get an accurate picture of the whole- when if I were to just look at the whole, it would probably make a lot more sense to me. (Shitty metaphor. Sorry...)

Oh, I am feeling like I am in a seriously weird place right now...

yeah i know what ya mean. i am too...let's hang out and get a drink.

 

[KDude]

Hey, I'll buy the drinks! Hugs for both of you


Cool thread (or rather, threads). Still waiting for an excerpt on ESP.. seems to be only one left out.

 

[brainheart]

Too bad we can't go get drinks. ENFPs and ESFPs are my favorite people to drink with! (and hug)

Thanks.

And I want the ESP thread as well, dad blurn it!

 

[Kasper]

Cool thread (or rather, threads). Still waiting for an excerpt on ESP.. seems to be only one left out.

ETJ was left out as well, not sure if Cegorach was planning on putting them up or not but this thread inspired me to find out more about the book so I'll add the ESP one in a bit.

 

[KDude]

Awesome

 

[gigi_xo]

yeah i even have the weird anxiety which starts usually about something like hitting my head on my car door and thinking my brain is bleeding...or other odd things like that until i have a full on anxiety attack and need valium...weird tho because i almost never even know i'm stressed.

and yeah...the insane optimism turns into the complete opposite...ughh...si must die!

its like you just described me lol like EXACTLY.

is this all enfps? if i didnt know about personality type, I'd think we were twinsss

I had a nose bleed after studying for 12 hours for midterms and was convinced my brain was bleeding. this is a bit of a silly example, but this sort of thing happens a lot. but only when under a lot of stress.

 

[Cegorach]

Geez... I seem to have neglected to capitalize 'the' in the thread title.
The grammar Nazi in me is going berserk.

As much as I thrive on stress when it hits me super hard and knocks me about withdrawal, depression, obsession and sickness all hit me hard. Wish it had a bit more on how "to return to being themselves when chronically stressed", is there any more on that aspect in the book Cegorach?

Return of Equilibrium

Extraverted Intuitive types seem to need time to reflect, fully experience themselves, and even “wallow” in their inferior state. ENFP men in particular report needing time alone. Meditation, which can be a useful way for all Extraverted types to attend to their Introverted functions, is particularly appealing to Extraverted Intuitive types in the grip of their inferior function.

As is the case for most types, Extraverted Intuitive types in the midst of a grip experience need others to back off and avoid patronizing them. It can be helpful if some of the overwhelming details are attended to, but attempts to assist by taking over and “solving the problem” for them are not appreciated. Talking to trusted friends helps, especially for ENTP and ENFP women, as long as the friends don’t offer advice (or, if they do offer it, they don’t expect it to be taken), make judgments, or try to talk them out of their negative state.

Movement out of the inferior function often is aided by a positive engagement of the Sensing function, especially in situations in which a neglect of behavior associated with Sensing has provoked an inferior function experience. Physical exercise, such as jogging, engaging in some quiet sensing, or visualizing a place of peace and silence can be helpful. ENFPs in particular mention exercise as helpful. For most Extraverted Intuitive types, attending to physical needs, such as sleeping a lot, eating good food, and getting massages, also accompanies the gradually diminishing effects of the inferior.

The role of the auxiliary function is apparent for ENTPs, who find it helpful to try to analyze what is happening, either alone or with a close friend who is able to accept the ENTP’s emotion and help him or her sort out priorities. An ENTP said, “I make myself stop and really consider what it is that’s worrying me—do a reality check of how I might achieve it. This stimulates me into positive actions to start dealing with the situation, rather than just worrying about it.” Another ENTP suggested that others “talk to me as I am, combining the normal me and the anxious me.” For ENFPs, who may be communicating uncharacteristic coldness and indifference, what is needed from others is warmth, kindness, and approval. It is interesting to note that ENFP women in particular seem to call on their tertiary Thinking to help them, perhaps reflecting the value of being forced to develop Thinking in their work lives. One said, “I sort of talk myself out of it—often aloud, reasoning and feeling my way back to a more comfortable and productive position.” And another said she needed “time out—to rationally evaluate the reality (the truth of the situation—not just as I see it.), assess things, and decide what I need to do.”
A third ENFP woman described needing others to help “by applying logic to my irrational, exaggerated obsessions—bringing me back to earth.”
Extraverted Intuitive types often respond to an inferior episode by resolving to pay more attention to details, especially the kind involved in their recent negative experience. They may also gain a new respect for their bodies and their physical limitations. They report being better able (at least for a while) to maintain a more balanced perspective regarding their often overly ambitious expectations of themselves. They may create a plan to attend to their bodies with such things as an exercise regimen, and to develop their inner judgment with such things as formal meditation or regular quiet time. They may also resolve to notice and deal more quickly with the overload that can signal an impending inferior function episode.

---​

 

[ArchitectofFate]

omg this is so true... unreal...

 

[Heart&Brain]

Awesome descriptions. Except the descriptions of hypochondria, I find it very true. And unfortunately also very hard to get out of once I get stuck in a downward spiral of withdrawal, hopelessness and obsessive ruts (or it only appears so hard bc of bad Si pessimist projection?)

I'm very curious to hear how other ENxPs have been able to return to an equilibrium? Or is it 'return' of Ne-Ji or is it growth towards a more integrated Je-Si?

Several years ago when in a similar bad way, I did eventually get out if it slowly. It took about year of consciously working through it once diagnosed with chronic stress / burn out / mild depression, through daily walks, weekly massage and mandatory pauses after every activity. And in the beginning 'activity' was everything: making a phone call = five minutes rest on the bed. I was also learning some stress-reducing 'keep it simple'-rules for daily activities during restitution: doing one thing at a time would even imply only to have one pot on the stove at a time! Yep, no kidding!

Hormonally it appears that even when all stressful activities are halted and the kettle removed from the fire so to speak, the body will keep stressing on all by itself. That's cronic stress, thus your system needs to physically rebuild trust in and experience sound responses to the difference between activity and rest.

But when a rut of hopelessness strikes it's like I forget all these valuable experiences from 8 years ago. I can almost hear Si sigh and tonelessly repeat (much like the donkey in Winnie the Pooh stories): "Uhhh... nice advise, I suppose - for other people. But in reality I know that nothing will help, it will all go to nothing as always, knowing myself I'll never be able to keep it up, it'll be so tough and pleasureless and doomed to fail that even attempting this loosing battle will be more painful than just staying put in the dark spot I am - oh, and it's quite certainly too late by now in any case, just look at all the wasted time, it will never return, wasting it has only brought a happier state further away than before... Well, own fault, as usual. Not that there is ever is going to be a stable, happy state of mind again etc. etc...."

Right, inferior Si really can be a bitch!

So - how do you fellow ENxPs pull yourselves out of its grip? By the hairs? Bootstraps? Last straws?


Oh btw, 8 years ago falling madly in love gave me the optimistic energy for the final leap out of the rut and back to enthusiasm and productivity again!
But that's kinda hard to plan.

 

[Jon_sparky]

Yes, I can totally relate to the part about ENFP. I was recently told that my blood pressure was going up and started checking it, and it kept getting higher and higher, probably from the stress...