INTJ: More likely to get depression?

[sriv]

Refer to title.

I have been seeing a lot of messed up stories about INTJ childhood. Is this a common trend, or are the complainers the only posters? It does not make much sense that INTJs would be depressed because they usually repress their feelings. Emotional breakdowns lead to loss of efficiency which they cannot afford. Still so many pitiable stories. Why? Is it because they tend to be nihilistic? Tend to be socially unfulfilled?

[bubbles]

It's probably because we repressed our feelings and don't get in touch with them. They eventually get back to us and we can no longer repressed them. Sometimes we just need someone to talk to and sort out our feelings...

[DrEast]

Some depression is to be expected, but depression is a huge problem for INFJ's over INTJ's. INFJ's often get misidentified as INTJ's (the NJ lets them fool themselves and others about the T aspect), but we do have a lot in common with them in any event. For me it tends to be linked to SSAD. It's always been transient for me, though, so I don't have a lot of advice for the clinically depressed.

[Zilal]

I read that perfectionists are less likely to fall into depression, but more likely to have difficulty getting out. I wonder if this would hold true for INTJs too. I know I have a lot of tendencies that tend to perpetuate my depressions once I get into them.

And it's entirely possible that INTJs aren't more likely to be depressed, but that ones who are are more likely to spend a lot of time on the internet!

[ChfMojoRising]

Can't depression have a symptom in lacking emotion? That is, diminished ability to feel happiness and pleasure? That would seem INTJ-like to me~

[Haphazard]

My guess would be that INTJs aren't more likely to get depressed, but are more likely to fall into depression over the things you described. A lot of things cause depression, the 'surrounded by idiots' thing would lead to it in a specific way, no doubt.

[ElstonGunn]

My assumption is that INTJs are smart enough to realize that life is, in fact, quite depressing.

[EsoteriEccentri]

Well, I've heard it said that INFPs are the type most likely to self harm and have suicidal thoughts.

According to this (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.) they are the type "most likely to report suicidal thoughts in college."
I don't know how true that is, but I can vouch for the self harm thing myself, and looking at many of the other INFPs on the INFP forum, so can they.

I'm not actually quite sure how that links to depression, but I would be inclined to think that INxxs are more likely to get depressed, for a variety of reasons.
Because the reasons you posted why INTJs are likely to get depressed can apply to pretty much any INxx type, and especially types with Fi.

[curiousjane]

Unfortunately, I really think INFPs have the worst problem with depression. We internalize everything, and while INTJs have Ni working at full-speed, we have Fi boiling within as one of our strongest functions. Added to this mix is the fact that, even though we feel things deeply, we are like you in that we cannot always express those feelings coherently and comfortably.

We can be perfectionists, and are just as hard on ourselves as you are, but we cannot separate the idea and practice of perfection from the identity and expression of our true selves. Therefore, the perfectionism eats away at us.

Unless we have developed our "depression alert!" radar and a strong personal support system of friends and family, we can sink into deep funks, retreating further and further into ourselves until external activities and interactions are impossible.

Teenage angst does nothing to help this during adolescence.

But it is not a hopeless cause. I think that while all personality types may eventually struggle in this area at one point or another during their lives, we are equally capable of learning to read the signals our body sends us and to take responsibility for our reactions.

[punkyplatypus]

Throughout and before high school I avoided friends, people in general, and social activities. This included not getting a job. When I started college, I moved out. I was forced to get a job for bills and many of my first classes involved group activities. I had a hard time applying for jobs and joining the group activities, even though I knew I was qualified for both. Soon I got a disappointing job (fast food) and my grades started slipping. After saving up some money I quit the job hoping that would give me more time for school, but I still had a hard time concentrating. I ended up being easily distracted, skipping classes, and sleeping whole days away. When I started running low on cash, I tried to apply for another job but the stress led to panic attacks. I'd get a call for a job interview, but when I got to the parking lot I'd start freaking out. It got hard to breathe, I'd get a head rush & sort of black out (see stars), and I felt paralyzed. I'd tell myself to stop being a b**** and get up, but I couldn't. After an hour of sitting there, I'd leave. I felt like I failed myself.
I ended up seeing the university therapist. I ended up going to her twice a week and seeing the psychiatrist for meds. She diagnosed me with depression and said she thought it was because my declared major (mass comm, advertising) didn't seem to fit me. So she had me do the myers-briggs. I came out an INTJ and read up on it. Seemed to fit me perfectly. Maybe she was right, but that didn't matter. I had to have my parents bail me out with my rent and after the semester I moved back home.
I continued with the therapy and medication. I was rediagnosed with severe depression. This time I was referred to a self help group. Everyone there seemed to be ten times crazier than me. This sort of put things into perspective. The therapist said I needed to get another job and this would help to make friends & build my self esteem and confidence. He also suggested joining a coed social group, like a frisbee or volley ball team to meet some girls. I got the job, but I'm not gonna join any social activity unless someone drags me into it. I eventually stopped going to my therapy sessions because they got repetitive and stopped taking the medication because they didn't seem to be doing anything.

That's a little more than I intended to share, but the point is that I'm an INTJ (I've taken the actual test 3 times and several online tests numerous times over the past few years, all with the same conclusion) and from two different professionals I was diagnosed with depression. I also feel I was and still am "depressed". Explaining why might be a little more difficult. I think it's because a variety of reasons. Basically I feel I'm lacking in many areas of my life and even though I think up ways of fixing them to better myself, I can't seem to follow through.

[DeafEars]

I often go to this state, but I'm happy I made real friends who give advise when I start to go down that road.. :) the key is tell your problems to other people.. who you trust so much you don't care what they think :thumbsup: I usually get positive response.

[Ryokurin]

Think about it this way, up until pretty recently being introverted was seen as a negative thing in psychology. Then add to the fact that you rarely tend to run into people like yourself, and years of people saying you are so distant and cold. I don't care who you are after a while it starts to wear on you, especially if you've made attempts to correct it and find frustration and strife along the way

I know with me personally, I had convinced myself that there was something absolutely wrong with me. I never had a large amount of friends, I tended to be like Howard Dean when it came to emotions (not enough, or way over the top) and due to past experiences I had a very big issue with trust, and all of it eventually turned into anxiety, and at sometimes depression. I still have a bunch of work to do, and its a major effort to keep the anxiety from building up sometimes. If at all, all I can say is that I'm aware of whats going on, now the job is to fix it.

[The Many]

I have had several long bouts of depression, most of them stemming from some kind of inferiority complex and not exactly a fear of failure, but rather self-loathing from failing. I was about 15 the first time, I was depressed and suicidal since I had no friends and I essentially felt like a complete failure - parents etcetera continually telling me to be more out-going (as they always have done) certainly did not help me with this. Plus I was over-weight and stuff like that.

Then the second time was a couple of years later, I had been involved with a girl who was the first person I have loved for real. She dumped me after a while, claiming that she never was serious about it - this made me feel inferior again, especially when coupled with the social failures I have always had earlier as well. This time the depression was a lot more serious. I was suicidal for months, but somehow managed to get myself out of there as I met a new girl who actually appreciated me... of course, we split up quite early as well, but that is beside the point.

I have never seen a therapist, though, having managed to get myself together all these times, which I am proud of as there have been other instances than the two I mentioned above as well. Right now I am starting to fall into depression again for a number of reasons, I have even started to contemplate suicide again.

As to the actual questions, though, I think a lot of INTJness in general; constantly needing to live up to very high standards, distrust of others, etcetera, is about an inferiority (and/or superiorirt) complex which stems from (mainly) a biological inability to be socially fulfilled. It is not so much a question of nihilism, in fact, at least I personally usually have a pretty positive outlook at life and the future, but rather of judging oneself too harshly and being unable to recieve emotional support from more or less anyone who is not a trained psychologist, as people simply do not understand the INTJ psyche. In fact, not even most INTJs understand themselves very well either, which adds to the confusion.

[True Rune]

I had this last year for similar reasons, failure, constant failure. And nihilistic thoughts, I got out of it on my own, but interesting points, I can relate quite well. I read something somewhere that an asexual person is more susceptible to depression, and asexuality seems a little more common in our type, so there may be a correlation? (I have no idea, to be honest..)

[Rei]

1) We don't recognize our feelings until they're pretty severe. Some people may deny this, but I don't think we understand our feelings. So we usually just get occupied with something else instead of fixing the wrong.
2) We don't show our feelings even IF they're pretty severe. This is caused by our independence, and our need to keep being independent.

I think sometimes this is caused by the environment in which people grew up in. In other words, some INTJs are INTJ because of a bad childhood and they were forced to be independent and quiet about their feelings. Others are INTJ, and have these problems because they're INTJ.

[sriv]

I am asking this because I have never experienced it before myself.

Do you guys think that I's suffer greater depression than E's?

Maybe because you all are telling depressed people to talk about their problems and technically it would be harder for an I to talk about his/her problems than it would for an E.

This is caused by our independence, and our need to keep being independent.


So you think it would be better to psychologically share the pain?

[Rei]

I am asking this because I have never experienced it before myself.

Do you guys think that I's suffer greater depression than E's?

Maybe because you all are telling depressed people to talk about their problems and technically it would be harder for an I to talk about his/her problems than it would for an E.



So you think it would be better to psychologically share the pain?

I think it's also the T/F factor too. Most Ts view being emotional as a weak point or disadvantage so we're less likely to ALLOW it show.

I think technically it's better to vent it.
I'd still have to be pushed to a REALLY bad spot before do it though.

[The Many]

I am asking this because I have never experienced it before myself.

Do you guys think that I's suffer greater depression than E's?

Maybe because you all are telling depressed people to talk about their problems and technically it would be harder for an I to talk about his/her problems than it would for an E.


I have seen some statistics stating this correlation, so, yes, Is have an easier time getting depressed than Es. Unfortunately I don't have a link around at the moment, though. This reason you are stating seems to be one explanation, another part of the problem could also be that Is have a tendency to introspect a lot more than Es, and hence will also focus on problems which Es will neglect. Also, Is do not have as many social connections and will thus have a harder time finding many people with whom to talk about these issues.

[malefide]

I have dysthymic depression. A VAST part of this depression is the feeling of "emotionlessness"--where I will go days without being able to identify any significant emotion whatsoever. But it's not a neutral state at all--it is distinctly negative. It is a "dead" feeling

[Rei]

I have dysthymic depression. A VAST part of this depression is the feeling of "emotionlessness"--where I will go days without being able to identify any significant emotion whatsoever. But it's not a neutral state at all--it is distinctly negative. It is a "dead" feeling

I've been through something similar... at one point I realized I was just so distressed I was suppressing everything and it ended up making it worse. So I just spent a day not caring that the sky was falling down and just did random things, took a nice walk and got my goals straight again.

[AgentofGaming]

I believe we only get depressed when our goals and ideals are under threat. When the very things we live to achieve no longer appear achievable.
We then must question our inner selves whether we can continue and whether it is worth it. This "period of self-evaluation" carries uncertainty and self-doubt which weakens ourselves for the moment of reflection.

Afterwards if we choose to continue we have a new plan and a renewed vigour. Meanwhile if we still question ourselves, we question our purposes, our meaning and hence our existence.

Its as if we know what we live for, we know what we want and we see how to get there. If not then we go into a period where we must find ourselves again or when we can't tolerate the inefficiency of our current paths we must adjust our effort or adjust our goals.

[bubbles]

I have dysthymic depression. A VAST part of this depression is the feeling of "emotionlessness"--where I will go days without being able to identify any significant emotion whatsoever. But it's not a neutral state at all--it is distinctly negative. It is a "dead" feeling

I don't know whether I have dysthymic depression, but sometimes I just feel emotionless, dead, almost like a zombie. I use to feel my emotions more strongly, now I feel "tiredness" as my main emotion, as if I am tired of having emotions. People have said I speak monotonously, but then again, I have met other people who have boring voices (and a few professors who bore the &^*% out of me in class...).

I guess this is because I feel like my life is not headed towards any direction; my future is nebulous and I am afraid of uncertainty... I'm still going through this "period of self-evaluation" right now.

[sriv]

Usually, I change my goals and efforts unconciously faced with adversity. I make decisions very quickly and if I cannot, then I just take it in stride. This period of self-evaluation seems like a journey to find hope, but I cannot imagine giving up hope. It is something I would never do.

[bubbles]

Usually, I change my goals and efforts unconciously faced with adversity. I make decisions very quickly and if I cannot, then I just take it in stride. This period of self-evaluation seems like a journey to find hope, but I cannot imagine giving up hope. It is something I would never do.

For me, self-evaluation isn't really about finding hope. It's more like looking into yourself and learning more about who you are, like for example, what makes you happy, what do you really want to get out of life...etc. Sometimes we realize that our goals and actions will not get us where we want so we need to adjust them.

[Motor Jax]

i actually like depression, to an acceptable extent

my greatest writing have come about when i was in my lowest times

i'll actually put some here from my journals once i get off work and can get home

my journals took quiet a bit of time typing from paper to disk

but most impressive since they go as far back as 2001

[sriv]

For me, self-evaluation isn't really about finding hope. It's more like looking into yourself and learning more about who you are, like for example, what makes you happy, what do you really want to get out of life...etc. Sometimes we realize that our goals and actions will not get us where we want so we need to adjust them.

So you are saying that we have a hard time letting go of the self-generated ideal goals and making more realistic ones? Is this your only experience of depression?

Can I ask repliers to think hard and define their experience of depression?

[pinkroger]

INTJ's repress their feelings, but that only makes them stronger and deeper. Even today, as an adult, I frequently wish I wasn't an INTJ... that I was some ignorant other type, because it would be a much easier life to live. Our lot in life is different from everyone else's, and it is harder. This makes us more prone to depression. And the common misconception that INTJ's cannot accept inefficiencies is wrong. We are so efficient most of the time that we can afford some slackening every so often.

[bubbles]

So you are saying that we have a hard time letting go of the self-generated ideal goals and making more realistic ones? Is this your only experience of depression?

Somewhat, but that wasn't really what I was trying to say, and I don't consider that depression. I got "depressed" when I didn't have any goals in life and felt like I had lost direction in my life. I have the need to know that my life is heading somewhere, to know my goals, and know what I want. Sometimes when you are unhappy and don't know why, it just seems frustrating, as if nothing can bring to out of it. The only times when I felt seriously depressed were when I had adjustment issues and faced significant changes in my life. I wouldn't consider myself depressed right now.

[sriv]

Maybe this is why most INTJs are right-wing conservative. We have a hard time dealing with negative change and we like to stick to the status quo routine.

I agree pinkroger. Life would be a lot easier with an E, F, and maybe a S.

[przeor]

I believe we only get depressed when our goals and ideals are under threat.

I agree with AgentofGaming. I'm an 19 years old INTJ and I'm never felt so bad before as last weeks. But I hope it's is only temporary dip of my emotion side. And I think as AgentofGaming suggested that it is caused of goals under threats ... but it's looks that this is going to be fixed for me :).

Only one thing what I miss is a life partner in my "life chess". Maybe place to deal with depression is struggle to find a partner to share our life? It's hard to socialize with others :) but it is essential to be sucessful in date.

[DrEast]

I agree pinkroger. Life would be a lot easier with an E, F, and maybe a S.

Only that part of life defined as essential to E's, F's, and S's.

The instant you let them define for you what the important things in life are, you've lost the most essential part of your autonomy. And that'll depress you faster than anything I know.

[sriv]

I am not saying it would be better, I am saying it would be easier. I would much rather be an INTJ and challenge myself than be anyone else.

[ElstonGunn]

Things can get difficult when people think that you're abnormal, and I think INTJs definitely seem odd to a lot of people. "Difficult" doesn't necessarily mean "bad" or "less preferable," though.

But I'm still convinced that at least half of the population is ESFx, although that's probably colored by my subjective vantage point. Even a 5-foot tall guy looks big to a 2-year old.

[mkay]

Yes, being misunderstood would compound anyone's problems.

Many of the posts sound like people hitting rough patches rather than being clinically depressed, which I would associate with thoughts of suicide and such. It seems like clinical depression requires someone acknowledging a problem dealing with emotions and getting professional help, both of which INTJs typically seem reluctant to do.

Some people definitely seem to have it easier or harder in life, just based on their personalities, internal wiring, brain chemistry, whatever you might call it.

I figure we've all just got to work with what we have, that wishful thinking (as opposed to doing something) is a waste of energy. My wiring / personality is that I don't dwell on stuff I can't change, work on stuff I can and see things in perspective. There will always be people smarter, more successful, more socially adept, wealthier, etc., than I am. But there also are people who are worse off than I am. So I'm grateful for the good things. What keeps me buoyant throughout life is knowing that I'm dealing with things in the best way that I can, learning more as I go along. I also figure a strong person knows when to ask for help.

[BallentineChen]

Of my friends, the two of my friends that self-identify as INTJs have or still do experience depression, one clinically diagnosed. I have also experienced depression for extended periods, but have never been clinically diagnosed.

I posted this at MBTIc, but this information might be of more use here. A book that helped reshape my view of depression was "Lincoln's Melancholy" by Joshua Wolf Shenk. Lincoln is thought by some to be an INTJ which may help some of you relate to a greaert extent. I highly recommend the read.

[Kingmannie]

I think as a strong INTJ i suffered most when i was isolated, i had a job in a city for a year and a half and i made no friends, i was happy with no friends but the eventual isolation did affect me.

I was very badly depressed and i moved back home and worked and lived there where i found a girl, i was with her for 3 years until recently she broke it off with me.

Near the end of the relationship in my subconscious i believe i already knew it was coming and the break up happened in my head for a month or two before she actually broke it off with me.

Thats the only two times i really was depressed.

Ive met an INFP and its a stark contrast. Shes always late, shes quiet but shes intelligent and creative. Were a better match and i can tell that already.

;D

[sriv]

I have realized over my travels that a lot of INTJs get misunderstood all the time like mkay said. Socially, this would hurt a lot. I have also realized, through myself (how embarassing), that INTJs can establish a sense of narcissism to counteract other's contempt and act as a defense mechanism. This prevents depression completely because they are more than comfortable with themselves, but it does not help the mental health or the social life of the INTJ.

To explain: I tend to not care about other's opinions. This is virtuous in moderate amounts, but not at too high of a level. Whenever someone says something, I pass it through ear security and either approve of it because I agree and accept or disapprove wherein I either ignore the words, or change the meaning to what I want to hear. This does not apply to learning things, but subjective things. Someone curses at me, I interpret the words as a compliment, possibly thank them or laugh, and continue my daily buisness. Recently I figured out that this tool is extremely narcissisitc and repressing because it allows me to stay in control of any conversation I enter. I may not leave victorious, but I leave having learned something and having not taken any blow to my feelings whatsoever. It is sort of like me denying that they could possibly talk that way about me, because no one in their right mind would call me a name like that. Although it is illusioning, I do recommend it to any depressed INTJs out there.

Its success is amazing. I could not think of anything that would make me shed a tear.

[Jane]

I have dysthymic depression. A VAST part of this depression is the feeling of "emotionlessness"--where I will go days without being able to identify any significant emotion whatsoever. But it's not a neutral state at all--it is distinctly negative. It is a "dead" feeling

It describes me quite well (didn't know this branch of depression existed before). This seems to affect INTJs especially-- since we do not express ourselves through feelings as well.

Depression hits the INxx especially. The N function gives way to excessive thinking (and if you think about it, we generally recognize that the world is not a nice place) and the I function represses these thoughts.

I was an INFP, that was when my depression was at the pit bottm. INFPs don't have order and regularity (J) to lean on and the F is lethal.

[sriv]

I am surprised defense mechanisms are not developing all over the place for you guys to combat this. Am I developing powerful defense mechanisms because I am relatively young and still developing or something else?

I feel like a diamond. Invulnerable when stricken bluntly, but when hit at the right spot, it fractures. This structural weakness is something I believe is there although no one has sweetspotted me yet.

[schwartzie]

I asked this on another thread, but--since it's on topic here: has anyone experience with a diagnostic tool called quantitative EEG and/or a form of treatment called neurofeedback? I know only two people who've been treated, and both are free of depression and obsessive coping behaviors (e.g. hiding in books), and attribute it to working with a psychologist/neurotherapist for 20 or so sessions. Anyone?

[KarmicKaos]

*Phew* Finally read through all the posts. I am also an INTJ who has suffered through clinical depression. First I want to point out that even realizing I was suffering from depression was a huge step for me so despite some of your feelings, I'm impressed that many of you recognize it (as cheesy as that sounds).

Second, some of you claim you're depressed but depression as commonly used in the English language and clinical depression are no where near the same thing. Depression is sadness, usually seperated by intermitent times of happiness. Clinical depression is not sadness, it's an empty dark hole inside your soul that seemingly can't be filled by any sort of love or affection. It's a feeling of worthlessness, yet no feeling at all, as in real depression you don't feel. Suicidal people usually think they are more of a burden on other people than anything else. So now that I've shown my understanding of depression I want to point out that it CAN very well be overcome.

I now take anti-depressants. However, that's only part of the solution. If you take the medication and don't make a personal effort to overcome depression it can happen despite the medication. I know this from experience.

I also want to point out that depression can be useful. I've written some of my best poetry while in depression. That leader singer from radiohead says he gets all the inspiration for his music from depression, and I believe him. I also think I've come to understand myself and even other people far better because of the 100s and 1000s of hours I've spent self absorbed in my thoughts.

However, I found out fairly recently that many people (not my long term friends) seem to think I'm an extrovert as I can do many things that most introverts (and especially INTJs like myself cannot do) such as "work a room." Meaning, go around to greet everyone, make conversation, make important contacts, etc. I also went from a 2.9 GPA in high school and the first two years in undergrad to getting basically 3.8 or higher 5 quarters in a row and now I'm getting my MBA which was inconceivable right after high school. I think depression actually helped me get to this point. I'm just trying to show that things can get better. Having grown up with an alcoholic Father (he isn't any more) and a mother who was incredibly anal and trys to micromanage my life (also not so much anymore) I feel I've come a long ways and feel (though it sounds cheesy) that you can too.

[mkay]

I also want to point out that depression can be useful.

Definitely. Some amazing contributions in art and literature have come from people who've struggled with depression. So we're all richer because of those who channeled their depression into something worthwhile.

[sriv]

Its not the depression that is useful as much as the deep emotion and the overall experience of depression. You do not just say, "I think I am going to get depressed so I can write a book." You say, "There is a passion (or lack of) within me. I must extravert it or I will drown (collapse) in it."

[ChfMojoRising]

I can relate to the feeling of a complete hollowing of the spirit but I can't say it's ever helped me. Instead, it caused (causes would be more accurate) many failures in my life. I have my methods in reaffirmation of the spirit, but sometimes I fall of the horse, as I've learned in recent.

*note: spirit is just an easy and sensible word to use; I'm a believer of will power, but not of souls or other superstitions ^^

[Nanashi]

punkyplatypus, I hope you don't find this presumptuous, but I've gone through a situation myself similar to the one you described at the beginning of this thread. I've found some relief in exercise, ideas (remember you need new things to think about if you analyze automatically. You may, like I am, be finding yourself wanting in several areas and therefore ascribing a negative value to your life, and it can be a pretty crappy rut b/c it's difficult to analyze objectively for the actual situation when one is not open to new information/just considers a few ways in which one doesn't measure up in determining one's achievement [one is only asking "how have I failed?," so only negative aspects, and only one category, are being considered.]), helping other people/devoting time to a very short-term project that is valuable (INTJs require meaning/purpose & usefulness), and being around people who REALLY LIKE me and are amusing/interesting.

[JustMel]

I think that perhaps something in life can make someone into an INTJ, especially if some of the tendencies are already showing in the child. I watched my mother kill my stepfather after he almost killed me when I was 8. They say and the few memories I have of before that time show me as very "vibrant" I was one of those kids that loved people and being center of attention but not in a snotty "look at me" way, more of a everyone loves me kind of way. I've always had an active imagination and lived in my own head but afterward I was very withdrawn and started to spend more time in my own head and my dislike for people in general grew. I was much more an extrovert before the incident.

I have severe bouts of depression but I have found that a new project that really grabs my interest is what usually brings me out. My family also notices that if I don't get my "me" time to recharge I am impossible to live with and get very depressed and want to withdraw from the world.

[underdog]

I've had my bouts with depression... Suffered from confidence and self-esteem issues for years. Only right now, at almost age 20, am I starting to turn my life around. I'm definitely handling my problems better and keeping a positive outlook. Although I still tend to be overcome by strong emotions sometimes.

I guess my main problem as an INTJ was my inability to communicate my feelings. I kept everything suppressed, and whenever I had a problem, I just internalized it. Combined with my complete lack of self-confidence, I just felt inferior around everyone and did not feel comfortable around people at all. I did not have a lot of life experience or guidance, so I handled my problems in all the wrong ways. Honestly, I was a complete living mess.

Luckily I always had my brains to rely on. My grades got me ahead, and eventually I realized, I am just too smart to be living my life like this. Naturally as an INTJ, I overthink a lot, and I started analyzing people and social dynamics more closely and gained a ton of self-awareness. Yeah I know this is definitely not the normal way to integrate into society, but that's just how I am.