INFJ

INFJ Depression: Introducing the Deeply Emotional and Rare Personality Trait

Very close to one INFJ, this thought has been lingering in the back of my head for months. I want to talk a bit about INFJs and how their personality traits can make them feel depressed, a quite popular subject out there.

Now, I want you to keep in mind that even though this article is written based on an INFJ’s perspective, other personality types can also relate to it.

How Does It Feel About Learning You Are an INFJ?

Sad, Sadness, Person, Depression, Anxious

INFJ usually represents only 1 % of the general population.

Did you recently discover you were an INFJ?

I know somehow what would ensue after taking that online MBTI assessment.

You would start reading all the articles on the net about this extremely rare personality type and try to find yourself in these descriptions. Slowly, slowly, you would realize that you really don’t seem to belong to this world, like you are the only odd one out. And, you will think: am I going crazy?

Your nights will be plagued with insomnia and it will feel as if you are having a mid-life crisis in your early 20s. Due to your sensitive nature and your unique way of seeing the world, life would not be easy for you. But, you are not alone!

In the beginning, most INFJs are unable to connect to their own bodies and emotions.

What Are the Key Traits of an INFJ?

Girl, Sadness, Loneliness, Sad, Depression

The following description is based on an INFJ who is very, very close to my heart.

Empathetic and Sensitive

Let me start off by saying that the misconception in the regard that INFJs are emotionally and mentally weaker is not true at all. Yes, they might be more sensitive than any other personalities, but that doesn’t necessarily associate them with any lines of weakness.

Instead, I would say that their heightened emotional sensitivity can act as their strength. Their empathy would allow them to be more generous, caring and better understand others. They would feel a lot of responsibility towards all their relationships and will often put other’s needs before their own. They can even stay beside and support someone who is unhappy just because they cannot stand to see people suffering.

However, this same empathy is what makes them susceptible to help too much and end up taking burdens that aren’t theirs to carry. Being empathic and sensitive equals some kind of struggle. Yet there is nothing wrong with them, the fault simply lies in how the world compares them with it.

Their Intuitive Nature

Intuition. One of the key traits that allow INFJs to sense when something isn’t right. Call that their gut feeling, but they are almost never wrong (I said almost).

Unique Intelligence

What connects INFJs to their intuitive nature is their unique type of intelligence. I won’t call that book smart, but rather an abstract and innovatively creative mind that can be adept to both sciences and philosophies.

Career-path

In terms of career-wise, they are high achievers and can excel in their workplace. Most of them are hard-working, positive, can get along with their co-workers and always try to help them. Their somehow perfectionist nature can appear at a time, where they try to give their 100 % to deliver a top-quality work. However, when it comes to adherence to strict rules and regulations, it can be quite difficult for them as they don’t find themselves among conformists.

They Carefully Select Their Friends

Whether it’s their intuition or their introverted nature, they are very selective of who they surround themselves with and this is why they select their friends very carefully. Again, it might be their introversion, but INFJs tend to appreciate a lot the comfort of their alone time.

They Can Read People

We often trust the wrong people because we cannot read and understand their real intentions. But, here is where the deep emotional intelligence of INFJs comes in. They have the ability to see right through people’s actions and words. They can identify toxic people very quickly and use this ability to protect themselves by avoiding these negative people.

Truth-Seeking Nature

It should also be noted that INFJs are often fascinated by the mysteries of science, religion and the universe driven by their deep conviction to change the world, combined with their ultimate dislike of political power and sports games.

Introducing the INFJ Battle With Depression

Woman, Sad, Depression, Skin, Naked, Naked

Depression is a different experience for everyone and all of us must have felt depressed at some point in life. This journey where you try to avoid social activities, separate yourself from your loved ones, feel a constant sadness and feel as if you are walking down the loneliest road ever can sometimes be more harmful than an infectious disease.

However, this seems to be a more difficult struggle for INFJs as they view life through different lenses. Neither will they speak about how they really feel, nor will they know whose emotions they are feeling: their own or those for everyone around them. As they are in tune with other people’s feelings, they can spiral downward into a mayhem of emotions until it becomes an unhealthy and scary place for them.

But, the question that beckons to be answered is whether the heightened emotional sensitivity in INFJs is strong enough to trigger depressive behavior or are there are any other factors? And finally, I’m addressing to all the INFJs out here, do you think you can handle your thoughts and emotions even when they seem to be more real than the world around you?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *