[INFJ] INFJ under stress

[Fidelia]

I don't think we are actually the most stressed type. We are pretty able to absorb a lot of kinds of stress and take them in stride. I do think that we sometimes have a lot of tension (I get sore shoulders a lot, and especially during stressful times, I grind my teeth at night without meaning to, sometimes I catch myself gripping my pencil or the steering wheel tighter than I need to), but I think because we tend to talk about it, we don't have as much stress as the people that bottle it up.

 

[Jaded Idealist]

We are pretty able to absorb a lot of kinds of stress and take them in stride.

This I can agree with. Nearly everything that would royally stress out an S person (such as the room being too cold) doesn't bother me nearly as much.

I do think that we sometimes have a lot of tension (I get sore shoulders a lot, and especially during stressful times, I grind my teeth at night without meaning to, sometimes I catch myself gripping my pencil or the steering wheel tighter than I need to),

True, I don't know how much it has to do with type, but I have extremely physical manifestations of my own stress. Stress and physical pain are very intertwined for me.

but I think because we tend to talk about it, we don't have as much stress as the people that bottle it up.

I may just be an oddball even among INFJs, but I actually don't get too many good opportunities to let it out. People look at stressed-out me and they often severely misjudge what seems to be the problem (e.g. "did someone say something bad to you at work?" or "you must just be really tired"). Basically, the kinds of things that would stress out your average ESxx person.

 

[Ruby Tuesday]

It's that tension between being "I Want to Save The World" (which mostly requires engaging with it) and "I Vant To Be Alone" (loooove that cave). Which is stressful.

In my case it's complicated by neglectful parenting - which in recent years I've been trying to provide myself: hey, better late than never! - meaning that the gap between what I could be and wish I could be and how I behave to get there has been way too big or erratic at times. The INFJ shadow that comes out during periods of high stress only compounds it all.

But hey, what a ride.

 

[Usehername]

This I can agree with. Nearly everything that would royally stress out an S person (such as the room being too cold) doesn't bother me nearly as much.



True, I don't know how much it has to do with type, but I have extremely physical manifestations of my own stress. Stress and physical pain are very intertwined for me.



I may just be an oddball even among INFJs, but I actually don't get too many good opportunities to let it out. People look at stressed-out me and they often severely misjudge what seems to be the problem (e.g. "did someone say something bad to you at work?" or "you must just be really tired"). Basically, the kinds of things that would stress out your average ESxx person.

From my gap year program where I lived with many people in small quarters in the middle of nowhere, I would say that you're seeing the minority of ES types throwing emotions around; I noticed that the ES types dealt with the constant stress and change of traveling around a foreign country with a collection of people that tend to get on your nerves a lot better than the INs, they just put a smile on their face and keep going. (Which is not to say that INs suck at it--only that the ES types you're thinking about are, IMO, the minority, they just happen to draw a lot of attention.)

 

[Andy Quellenlicht]

stress is quite healthy for me... in terms of productivity...

without stress, I not forced to do any judgements and I loose myself in contemplating a situation from so many different angles and gathering so much information, that I can't overview it all - that's the P-side of the Ni-dominants - in fact, as introvert J-type, I'm a dominant P-type

under stress, then, time imposes the necessity to make judgements and to do something and to go on. even if it's not welcome, it's liberating...

are any INFJ's familiar with this?