[timatron]

Is it just me or do other INTJs get paranoid?

sometimes I feel that my colleagues are scheming my demise.. even when I have no proof of this fact!

Is it because:

a. I am just paranoid
b. I have no social skills
c. they really don't like me because I have no social skills!!
d. they really are plotting against me as they find me too intimidating as I am so smart or
e. both c, d and also I am paranoid and it is a self fulfilling procphecy DOH
f. anything else???

[Fanowene]

I used to be that way too... But the people I hang around with now are so awesome that I normally don't think that way - unless it involves some females I don't know too well. Or if we're playing Assassins in my dorm and I have every reason to be paranoid...

[Airius]

I'm voting for A.

[Serafine]

Well, i might be wrong, but Intj's seem to be paranoid when they feel vulnerable (when they think they have a high chance of looking silly or getting their feelings hurt).

When I care a lot about what someone thinks of me, or simply care about that person (which happens very rarely) i tend to mis-read every little thing. It's sort of a 'think about all bad things that could happen first' so that i know i am prepared for any situation. Fortunately that happens very rarely since i usually am usually to keep myself safely detached from most people.

So my vote goes for version A.

[Jgib5328]

I honestly doubt being paranoid is a result of you being an INTJ, it's most likely just you.

[frantik]

paranoia eh....

(warning - crazy run-on never-ending sentence below)

Well, I always attributed mine with over-analysis. If each time you are with your friends and others, you concentrate (either voluntarily or involuntarily) on the fact that you know you're paranoid and each sentence you say is a test of fate for the acceptance of others, only paying attention on whether or not they accepted and found your presence 'normal', then you're self-conscious-

Oh. a solution? em, dunno hehe
..do you truly believe that you have a reason to feel paranoid? (chances are you dont, and you're over-analyzing. focus on listening seriously on conversations with other, and less on the nervous ticks you're doing, and if they noticed them
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note: I may be way off here, but it was surely my case until I realized it

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[ClydeB]

Just because your paranoid, it doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

Yes, I do get paranoid. Not so much as I used to. My cure for paranoia is to learn as much as I can about the things that can trigger it. I would have to agree with the previous posters about feeling vulnerable. I do catch myself going down that slippery paranoid slope when dealing with others and things do not go the way past experience has taught me things can probably go. Especially with people whom I have some kind of emotional attachment to.

Case in point.
Last week I was getting worried when 'Mom' wasn't returning phone calls to the house. Turned out they went to my aunt's house for the week and I 'didn't get the memo' because they know most times I am in my own mental world and wouldn't notice.

[Confusion]

I think the same thing about the people surrounding me, I was on an alternate forum and I posted something about it. One of the replies said that I couldn't possibly be that paranoid, and that only dictators are ever anything like that.

After that, I was thinking that either some idiot just passed me off as not being somewhat f***ed up, which I am, by the way, or some idiot just passed me off as another consumer-minded drone raised by the American social structure.

[rara avis]

I can be a little paranoid.

I think it's about being able/willing to consider possible scenarios that other people would write off as improbable- and then, in considering the scenarios, feeling the compulsion to plan a little for them just in case...

Unfortunately, mentally preparing for a marginally potential, or largely imaginary, catastrophe somehow can lend it a stronger sense of legitimacy.




But you don't want to get caught off guard, now, do you?

[zippikay]

meh. it is always good policy to be prudent and keep vigilant eyes toward future back-stabbing enemies

[Onotheo]

I am almost certain that the answer is a. Coming to conclusion with no proof is proof of this. Which one is the fact? The scheming or the feeling?

Being paranoid is far from my idea of what an INTJ is. I'm the complete opposite.

[Angellus]

I unno. I'm paranoid in a way that I feel that everyone dislikes me or is only being nice to me because they don't want to look bad infront of others. Hence one of the reasons why I severely distrust people.

But I think it'd be A, B, and C for me.

[MaJor LeAguE]

From any INTJs I've known..they will come to a conclusion on a situation (paranoid or not) and will claim they just know...even if at the time they can't articulate exactly how yet...but it is already set that THEIR reality is how it is. Either way are more comfortable to prepare for the worst and anything else is a plesant surprise.. I can actually identify with that..

[Oblivious]

I used to be extremely paranoid, especially back in my heavy drug using days. I'm not so paranoid anymore, and I don't think it's because I quit doing drugs for the most part. I think it's more that I just got to the point that I don't care what they do to me. As long no one touches me, I just pretty much ignore them. It seems to be working better for me.

[intjistp]

I am paranoid but it is just because the world is against me.

[Ems]

While I do think paranoia is distinct from personality type (I am unaware of any studies on the subject), our introversion, judging, and intuition seem to create a strong feedback for a paranoid paradigm. We are less likely to talk about our fears; more stubborn in our conclusions; and more likely to take a smaller amount of data and run with them. Also, if a person holds a part of themselves back to the extent that it becomes a secret (or any secret for that matter) that person is more likely to become paranoid.
Naturally, I can't say what it is for you unless you extravert and expound a bit more (I probably couldn't even then, though).

[REMwoman]

I tend to be very paranoid because I over-analyze and over-think. Most people don't spend anywhere near as much time trying to figure out how things work as I do, therefore they just swan around doing stuff off the cuff. It's not *me* they're doing it against, in fact, it isn't even *against*. It's just stupid and random most of the time. Since I think everything has to have a thought-through motive, I look for what isn't there. Paranoia.

[stiletto]

Paranoia seems like it could very easily go hand in hand with Ni, but it seems like it should more so be the result of immature Ni.

[Stephernova]

I think you just smoke crack, figuratively of course. I can tell you right now that your issue is over-analyzing. Appreciate things for what they are and not what you THINK they are. Most people are not too intelligent so, the concern of their conspiring deceit is generally invalid. If it so happens that proof ensues your paranoia, I would then begin to become skeptical.

[ZerroDefex]

I think that INTJs are less trustful of others in general, especially of strangers. However the OP sounds like he's just plain paranoid for no reason.

[suzib]

There have been some good points made.
We do tend to over analyze.
We do like to be prepared for the worst.
I think a big factor for me is I am not a game player, and have been blindsided many times by people who have used me then either dropped or back stabbed me. I think for many people this is a way of life, an "all's fair in love and war" mentality. They may not think this is a particularly bad thing to do.
But I have over the years learned to distrust people's motives, because it hurt too much to trust someone and find out I was being used.
I have no aptitude for politics or game playing and no desire. I try to avoid such people in my life, but you do not get to choose your relatives, your coworkers, ect. These are arenas where the worst game playing and back stabbing take place because it is all about power and control.
I just want to get on with my life, dealing straight with people, and hoping that they will with me, but experience has taught me that it may be wise not to trust too much, and to try to be aware of how situations may work out.

Example: My son is involved in a messy (is there any other kind) marriage break-up, and my daughter in law is being super sweet to me. I love my 2 young grand daughters, and am having to analyze every word, interaction, ect, trying to anticipate if I am being used to get ammunition against my son, if there is a terrible ax about to fall on our whole family, and my naivete will make us vulnerable.
I hate the whole thing.

[karenann33]

I'm totally paranoid but over the years have learned that the answer to 99% of all situations the answer is almost always A. I also have serious trust issues. I was raised by a paranoid father and I think he passed this lovely trait to me. God I have all these little nuggets of information that are stuck in my head from his paranoia. He used to say "never build a house without a back door", or "watch out because THEY will eat your lunch". As I grew older I began to question this logic. Who is "they" exactly? He's crazy and I think his paranoia was eventually what drove him to be a hermit. He trusted no one. He's about as bad as Ted Kaczynski wanting to be all self-sufficient and not needing anyone.

In reality I think most people are too caught up in themselves to give me a second thought.

[aok]

I can be very paranoid and/or over-analytical. Too much caffeine and/or stress is usually the trigger for me. Exercise seems to help the most in getting out of my head, which is sometimes an internal rut relating to the first sentence. Exercising and balancing my introversion w/ attempted extroversion seems to be the best remedy for me.

[Booko]

	Originally Posted by timatron To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Is it just me or do other INTJs get paranoid?

No, it's just you.

sometimes I feel that my colleagues are scheming my demise.. even when I have no proof of this fact! Is it because: a. I am just paranoid b. I have no social skills c. they really don't like me because I have no social skills!! d. they really are plotting against me as they find me too intimidating as I am so smart or e. both c, d and also I am paranoid and it is a self fulfilling procphecy DOH f. anything else???

F?

Maybe you don't feel like you can spot clues that spell danger like other types can more easily?

I've felt that way before, because with me it's true. Plus, I don't play the gossip game so I sometimes don't see trouble coming.

I"ve learned to see more trouble coming, but it takes me decades to learn how when others seem to just get it like they were wired to.

[aimeTh]

This post made me laugh out loud uncontrollably for at least 2 mins, thankyou!!!

what have you done to warrant attack ?
what kind of plots ?
understand, it is in your nature /nurture to be paranoid however,
no one but you can answer the further ? s you ask

on a personal note:
calm the fu** down
you need some space time alone chillax watch some sci fi
lay off the drugs (if you do them)
p.s.
i have a degree in paranoia