[Anemoi]

So, I'm gonna say it... this is my case.
I'm a male survivor of CSA. Age 7.

So it's difficult to grow up like this, where extroversion is considered the desired state of being.
Social interaction has never been my strength, but I also learned not to trust, escape even more, etc..

Any thoughts on what could be the consequences of CSA for an INTJ?
(INTJ+PTSD is a nasty mix, I think).

[True Rune]

The only trend I notice is that a cycle can be started..

[Uriel]

Does MBTI kick in when you're that young?

[True Rune]

introversion and extroversion at least

[Anemoi]

	Does MBTI kick in when you're that young?

Mmm I don't know... but I have always been very inquisitive, introverted, quiet... I preferred books to large interaction, and liked the company of older people. I'm making a assumption here...

[ischuldt]

My tendency would be to think it wouldn't really matter given that we're not the type to get all emotional about it. We recognize what happened, realize it's not our fault and who's to blame for it, and move on.

[Anemoi]

	introversion and extroversion at least

Well, I'm gonna go with introversion only.

[Uriel]

Hhhmmm, I would suggest not to rely too much into MBTI and past sexual abuse as a deciding factor into personal growth and development. You can look into possible consequences of your childhood history and current MBTI, but try not to expect it to happen.

[Anemoi]

	Hhhmmm, I would suggest not to rely too much into MBTI and past sexual abuse as a deciding factor into personal growth and development. You can look into possible consequences of your childhood history and current MBTI, but try not to expect it to happen.

Sure, I understand the independence. What I was thinking is something like: I'm naturally not too oriented to people (because that's my personality type), but I also try to avoid people in certain circumstances because I find it hard to trust them, or maybe I'm experiencing also some kind of PTSD. Intimacy and romantic relationships are extremely difficult, and I tend to think a lot of things at a time.

I'm still kind of confused, but I think I'm closer to separating two important ideas.

[s0n1c800m]

To be honest, I thought PTSD contributed to a person developing a certain type of personality.
My thinking was that INTJs, having been through something terrible, developed the introverted, intellectualized detachment from the present people/place orientation as a protection from the trauma.
This comes purely from self-analysis and inference. I'm an INFJ, and I was raped sometime around age 5. I had a younger sister, so while I developed similarly (introverted and detached from my own damage), instead of intellectualizing, I focused on protecting her from similar emotional damage.

Are you working on the premise that personality type is inherent from birth? I had never really considered that.

[karenann33]

	Originally Posted by Anemoi To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Any thoughts on what could be the consequences of CSA for an INTJ? (INTJ+PTSD is a nasty mix, I think).

I'm sorry for what happened to you. Mixing INTJ + PTSD does have it's challenges but nothing that can't be overcome if you want it bad enough and are willing to put the work in. I've been in the process of healing for the past 12 years (another diagnosis of PTSD/depression from an emotionally abusive childhood) and in the meantime I still managed to get married and have 3 kids. So don't look at the diagnosis as a death sentence for your social life because it doesn't have to be.

[AnonymousINTJ]

I never had any sort of abuse at all, although I had a somewhat difficult childhood.. Rough divorce, forced to grow up at about 7 from it.. Mom got custody and my sis and I grew up in the hood... The real hood.. I guess I've seen a lot of stuff over the years but I feel like it made me a stronger person.


I really feel like a lot of my personality was set when I was about 3-5..

[Kanizsa]

	Originally Posted by Anemoi To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	So, I'm gonna say it... this is my case. I'm a male survivor of CSA. Age 7. So it's difficult to grow up like this, where extroversion is considered the desired state of being. Social interaction has never been my strength, but I also learned not to trust, escape even more, etc.. Any thoughts on what could be the consequences of CSA for an INTJ? (INTJ+PTSD is a nasty mix, I think).

Same here, but it was a bit more recurrent. I never got counseling for it and I think a part of me died when I started grow up and understand the world. Things became more complicated when I got to college. I think I can trust people more now, but its hard for me to love someone and I think I am more sexually promiscuous than I would have been.

[dinochop]

I was molested repeatedly by my brother when I was between six and ten. The experiences made me become more self absorbed, and it's very hard for me to grasp the concept of a healthy sexual relationship.

[Thinktress]

Personally, I think MBTI is genetic, kind of like innate intelligence and aptitude for different things are genetic. I think how well you develop different personality strengths and broaden your personality type has a lot to do with nurture.

I think childhood abuse of any type affects INTJ's the same way it would any other personality type. Which is to say, it varies dependent upon what occurred, and upon the particular person to whom it happened. Everyone's different. And you can be an INTJ and still suffer from PTSD or any number of other psychological issues. What is it now? Being an INTJ is like eating acai berries? It gives you some special properties against everything that happens in life that other personality types don't have? Such that something horrific like childhood sexual abuse is something you can calmly shrug off? Please.

[floramacivor]

	Originally Posted by s0n1c800m To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	To be honest, I thought PTSD contributed to a person developing a certain type of personality.

My thinking is exactly opposite of this -- I think that PTSD will affect each of the 16 MBTI types differently. Within a typical range of ways people respond, there are some variations, and I would expect MBTI types to fall into similar patterns of how they respond - ISFJ's would tend to respond one way, ENFP's another way, etc.

[Anemoi]

Oh I see this post has been moved. Did I cross some line I shouldn't have? If so, my apologies. What can I do now?

[s0n1c800m]

	Originally Posted by Anemoi To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Oh I see this post has been moved. Did I cross some line I shouldn't have? If so, my apologies. What can I do now?

I assumed it was moved because the subject matter was a little deeper than a lot of the drivel that often passes through the Relationships board.

[Silverity]

	Originally Posted by s0n1c800m To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I assumed it was moved because the subject matter was a little deeper than a lot of the drivel that often passes through the Relationships board.

PTSD is a mental disorder, I'm guessing that is why the post was moved.

I'm not sure what you mean by consequences of CSA on an INTJ, are you thinking it would change... well, I can't really even say an INTJ-specific behaviour because there aren't any. There is the same amount of variation between INTJs as there are across the MBTI types. Some people in response to adversity thrive, others don't. Could you elaborate a bit more on what you mean by consequences that would affect an INTJ moreso than another type? Aside from E/I, I mean.

---------- Post added 01-21-2011 at 08:14 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Anemoi To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Sure, I understand the independence. What I was thinking is something like: I'm naturally not too oriented to people (because that's my personality type), but I also try to avoid people in certain circumstances because I find it hard to trust them, or maybe I'm experiencing also some kind of PTSD. Intimacy and romantic relationships are extremely difficult, and I tend to think a lot of things at a time. I'm still kind of confused, but I think I'm closer to separating two important ideas.

Just re-read. This looks like avoidance, and it's a common symptom of anxiety disorders, including PTSD. I don't think it stems from being INTJ. As for relationships.. I don't know why they are difficult for you so that's a toss up whether it's ptsd, intj, both or neither... aaand.. thinking about a lot of things? Nothing wrong with that. Sounds typical INTJish.

Basically my conclusion is you have two separate influences, there might be some overlap, and that's why it's hard to untangle. Have you read up much on PTSD? I began reading psych text books to get a better sense of where I ended and my PTSD began.

[Anemoi]

	assumed it was moved because the subject matter was a little deeper than a lot of the drivel that often passes through the Relationships board.

Oh now I can see. Thanks for the clarification!

On this note:

	I was molested repeatedly by my brother when I was between six and ten. The experiences made me become more self absorbed, and it's very hard for me to grasp the concept of a healthy sexual relationship.

I believe this is a fair point, and Thinktress brings to the table another fair point:

	I think childhood abuse of any type affects INTJ's the same way it would any other personality type.

.

Yes, I can be any of the 16 types and that doesn't change the severity of the abuse (It's abuse!) But I imagine that IXXX people hang out more inside and thus may dwell in the past for longer. Maybe I'm (wrongly) assuming that Introversion comes naturally with Introspection.

---------- Post added 01-21-2011 at 11:24 PM ----------

Great point

Just re-read. This looks like avoidance, and it's a common symptom of anxiety disorders, including PTSD. I don't think it stems from being INTJ. As for relationships.. I don't know why they are difficult for you so that's a toss up whether it's ptsd, intj, both or neither... aaand.. thinking about a lot of things? Nothing wrong with that. Sounds typical INTJish. Basically my conclusion is you have two separate influences, there might be some overlap, and that's why it's hard to untangle. Have you read up much on PTSD? I began reading psych text books to get a better sense of where I ended and my PTSD began.

This is the next step for me, being able to know when it's INTJ and when it's PTSD. Before realizing about my normal introvert personality, I believed that all my introversion was a result of trauma. I didn't know INTJ, I assumed it was all avoidance and trauma, and I forced myself to extroversion (didn't succeed of course).

Now I do have a clearer perspective of who I am, and I can be more realistic with my decisions.

[zef]

	Originally Posted by Anemoi To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	So, I'm gonna say it... this is my case. I'm a male survivor of CSA. Age 7. So it's difficult to grow up like this, where extroversion is considered the desired state of being. Social interaction has never been my strength, but I also learned not to trust, escape even more, etc.. Any thoughts on what could be the consequences of CSA for an INTJ? (INTJ+PTSD is a nasty mix, I think).

All I have to say is that you are not alone. PM me if you are having a difficult time with others, even INTJ's understanding. Recover is harder than others can imagine, but you have the skills. It just takes time and more strength than 99% of people understand. I am INTJ and was severely abused. . .and have emerged semi-successful from it. I'm happy to help share my experiences with you. If you feel a need to talk, just let me know.

[benr3600]

I was psychologically and emotionally abused, and, to some extent, still am, by my narcissistic POS mother. The same with my stepfather for several years, although he spiced it up with some physical abuse once in a while. I too have intellectualized it.

I have noticed that my relationship with pets have sometimes been borderline abusive. Not really spontaneous, but more of a displacement from my parents. I found myself punishing our dog (when they divorced and I was the "man of the house) too harshly, and when I recognized what I was doing, I stopped. When I first adopted my cat, it was the same thing. I quickly recognized it, realizing the cause of it, and have been every bit as loving as he deserves. Now I really love animals, and other pets prefer my company, which I assume to be a detachment from humanity.

[Silverity]

It might have influenced you becoming introverted but I'd also point out that anxiety disorders are internalizing disorders, not externalizing, so again, you might have another confounder in there. I think I know what you mean though. It's hard to know what you would have been like if an aspect of your past never occurred.

I have a question, you said this happened when you were 7, before that can you remember what you were like? For example, as a child before all traumatic events, I was STILL in my head all the time, composing stories, reflecting, I played by myself a lot and was very quiet. So, in MY case I don't think trauma had anything to do with me being INTJ. I was still friendly, had friends, did drama and sports, and loved being silly and playful but my moments alone were my times of joy. So what was it for you? Did you 'recharge' with others when you were younger or is there a chance you were, essentially, destined to become introverted no matter what?

[Anemoi]

	I have a question, you said this happened when you were 7, before that can you remember what you were like? For example, as a child before all traumatic events, I was STILL in my head all the time, composing stories, reflecting, I played by myself a lot and was very quiet.

Me too, I've always been in my head, very inquisitive, analytical and quiet all the time. I internalized a lot all the time and I recharged energy in solitude.

[Dru]

abuse of any kind would likely be the same for an INTJ as most NTs, introverts, or people of any type. i would surmise that temperament rather than type has more to do with one's reaction, as well as prior state of mental health.