How Each Myers-Briggs Type Behaves Under Stress

People may act different under stress, but there are also different levels of stress. Here is how each personality type reacts to minimal and high levels of stress and how they can deal with it.

 

INFJ

Minimal Stress: When the INFJ is first faced with a stressful situation, they may attempt to find solitude. They will want to recharge and will first attempt to use the things that comfort them to do so. They may attempt to continue as if nothing is wrong and take the stress upon themselves. INFJs are very good at viewing the long-term solutions and will attempt to solve them. They will attempt to rely on their intuition to figure out how to cope with the stress. Isolating themselves and attempting to regain their energy is just how the INFJ attempts to cope with stress.

High Stress: When the INFJ is under extreme amounts of stress, they will begin to act like a very different person than the INFJ you may be used to. They may begin to act very impulsively and only focus on the present moment. They may start to make decisions without thinking through the long term ramifications. They will become more aware of their physical presence, and indulge in things like eating, drinking or any kind of physical activities. They may appear more materialistic or self-preserving than their usual caring and complex selves. The INFJ may begin to focus on unimportant details and lose sight of the deeper meaning that they so normally value. They will be withdrawn from loved ones and will not have the energy to give them the general care that they the INFJ provides.

How to Deal: The best way for the INFJ to get back to their normal selves is by regaining confidence in their intuition. They have a strength in being able to see potential future outcomes, and they need to rely on that ability to get back to normal. Instead of complete isolation, the INFJ would do best to draw to close the people who love and understand them. Having someone who trusts their intuition and can help them get back to trusting it themselves, is very helpful. Once the INFJ can draw back their confidence in themselves and start focusing more on the future than the present moment, the INFJ can feel like themselves again.

ENFJ

Minimal Stress: When stress begins to arise the ENFJ will attempt to find solutions to the problem. They will focus on how the issues are affecting their loved ones and attempt to make sure everyone is kept happy. Their natural state is to focus on making others happy, and that is what the ENFJ does best. They will attempt to draw close to the people they care about, but will also attempt to hide that they are under stress. They want their family and loved ones to feel at ease, the ENFJ does not want to worry anyone. They are often very capable of juggling many things at once and would prefer to take of this problem on their own.

High Stress: If the ENFJ feels like they have too many demands placed upon them, and like they are not being appreciated they may feel extreme levels of stress. When they feel like others are taking them for granted the ENFJ loses sight of their normal behaviors. The ENFJ will no longer focus so strongly on tending to the emotions of others, but rather become much more analytical than usual. They will begin to critique the details of everything and may ponder a thought for a while before they attempt to speak. They will uncharacteristically withdraw from others, feeling very drained by the presence of too many people. The ENFJ is normally very focused on how they affect others, but under stress they may become overly critical. They probably stop attempting to make contact and no longer feel a desire to organize social events. Their strong focus on facts and logic may be skewed and overly critical.

How to Deal: The best way for the ENFJ to return to themselves is to focus on others once again. They need to feel appreciated once again, and not feel like their loved ones are overloading them. Drawing close to people and expressing to them that they need more praise is important for the ENFJ to get back to normal. They need to feel like their constant efforts are not being dismissed or else the ENFJ will struggle. It is important that the people close to them attempt to bring the ENFJ back into their social engagements but do not begin to put pressure on the ENFJ once again.

INFP

Minimal Stress: When stress begins to arise the INFP will attempt to withdraw and sort out what is going on. They will spend time alone in an attempt to recharge and regain composure. Sorting out their feelings and enjoying their normal activities to help themselves relax once again. Focusing on their internal morals and attempting to hold strong to what they believe is important to the INFP. When they are under a small amount of stress they will continue to use these morals to navigate a problem. Spending time in their own inner world and trying to sort out their emotions is how the INFP deals with stress.

High Stress: Under high levels of stress the INFP will no longer appear like their usual sensitive selves. If the INFP feels like someone is attempting to challenge their core values they may exhibit signs of extreme stress. Instead of focusing on emotions, the INFP will become overly logical and factual. They will no longer be at ease with exploring the new possibilities and instead will focus on making the most logic based decisions. They may become strongly focused on pursuing a more practical life path instead of following their passions. They may become impatient with others and focus more on getting the job done. They will make harsher judgments towards people’s incompetence and strive to be more efficient.

How to Deal: To return to normal the INFP needs to draw close to their usual strengths. They need to focus more on their internal emotions and try to reconnect with their personal feelings. The INFP needs to develop a connection to their powerful sense of morals once again to return to their normal selves. They need to avoid people who harshly judge them and surround themselves with others who appreciate their wonderful strengths. Feeling like they are in a safe environment, the INFP can reconnect with their core values.

ENFP

Minimal Stress: When stress begins to arise the ENFP will attempt to explore the possibilities at hand. They will draw closer to others and attempt to feel inspired by the people they care about. The ENFP under small amounts of stress tries to cope by drawing close the things that they enjoy. Exploring new ideas and attempting to dive into multiple projects in hopes that they can become inspired once again. The ENFP will want to avoid being bogged down, and will jump from one activity to another very quickly. Enjoying a mix of alone time, and a mix of being surrounded by people who they care about.

High Stress: When they are under high levels of stress, the normally outgoing and enthusiastic ENFP may become guarded and strict. Instead of exhibiting their normal love of new ideas, the ENFP may become strongly focused on routine and order. They become overly controlling and desire to maintain a sense of order around them. They will want things to be done their way and to be done properly. Their normally excitable selves will no longer exhibit signs of their enthusiastic personalities. They will lose sight of their enjoyment in new ideas and will focus on proven methods and structure.

How to Deal: The ENFP needs to get back to their normal selves by exploring new possibilities and ideas. It is best if the ENFP can find something that they are passionate about and dive into that. Drawing close to others and attempting to explore ideas with them is helpful. They need to get back to their normally inspired view of the world around them. If the ENFP can once again welcome their enthusiastic and positive nature, they can regain their normalcy.

 

INTJ

Minimal Stress: When normal levels of stress begin to arise the INTJ will withdraw from others. They will attempt to regain their energy by spending much needed alone time. The INTJ will attempt to draw closer to their logical nature, and enjoy diving into the absorption of knowledge that they love so much. They will attempt to make sense of the situation and search for a logical solution. They will attempt to observe the possible outcomes and will search for proven methods to resolve the situation.

High Stress: Under high levels of stress the INTJ may appear different than their usual logical selves. The INTJ that normally focuses on future outcomes, may become very absorbed in the present moment. Instead of focusing strongly on the long term possibilities, the INTJ may become obsessed with present facts and unimportant details. The normally well thought out INTJ may begin to make rash or impulsive decisions. Instead of thinking about the possible future ramifications of their actions, they will focus solely on the present moment. They may over indulge in physical activities that normally seem unimportant to the INTJ such as food, drink or sex.

How to Deal: It is best for the INTJ focus more on their strengths once again. Focusing on their intuition and logic to help them regain a sense of normalcy. It may help the INTJ to draw close to other highly intuitive individuals, like another INTJ or an INFJ. This will help them realize the importance of their natural state and become comfortable regaining that once again. The INTJ needs to place importance on long-term goals once again, in an attempt to remember what is truly important to them.

ENTJ

Minimal Stress: Under small amounts of stress the ENTJ will attempt to focus on making logical decisions. They will try to control their exterior environment and maintain order and structure. The ENTJ will continue to facilitate proper solutions and will attempt to control the outcomes. They may withdraw from others in an attempt to figure out a strategic solution to their problems, and then attempt to implement it as best as they can.

High Stress: When levels of high stress being to arise the ENTJ may exhibit less logical means of problem solving. Instead of their usually capable of selves the ENTJ may find themselves focusing more on their internal emotions. The ENTJ may struggle with making important decisions and will place more emphasis on how they feel about the problem. Instead of placing emphasis on the importance of factual solutions, the ENTJ may place more importance on what is morally right or wrong. They may begin to lash out at others in anger and frustration, and appear more uneasy and less focused than usual.

How to Deal: To reconnect with their normal selves, the ENTJ needs to place more focus on the importance of efficiency. They need to maintain order once again and focus on implementing their strategies. The ENTJ needs to regain trust in their ideas and their ability to find powerful solution to their problems. Regaining focus on their natural skills and talents, and placing more importance on the future outcomes.

INTP

Minimal Stress: When stress begins to arise the INTP will become very internally focused. They will withdraw from others in an attempt to think about a solution to their problems. The INTP will attempt to observe all of the possibilities and analyze the situation as much as possible. They will attempt to use logic to make sense of the problem and use their sense of intuition and understanding to figure out the best solution. Being alone and attempting to intensely analyze the situation is how the INTP attempts to cope with stress.

High Stress: Once the stress of the situation becomes too great, the INTP may appear very different than usual. Their normal ability to reason and understand will become clouded. The INTP will place emphasis on how others will emotionally perceive them, and may feel judged by others. They may lash out at others and become defensive because they feel as though they cannot find a proper solution to the problem. They may feel insecure about their own problem solving skills and attempt to make the people around them believe that they have it under control. They may become harsher towards others in an attempt to defend their own logic. If people close to them attempt to help them it may make the INTP more frustrated. The INTP may become emotional over things that would normally not bother them, and will become even more frustrated because of this.

How to Deal: The INTP needs to regain their sense of trust in their own logic. They need to rely on their ability to reason and problem solve once again. If the INTPs previous methods have failed them, they need to observe new solutions and analysis. INTPs are very capable of attempting new solutions to solving problems, and they need to rely on that skill once again. They need to stop focusing on other people’s opinions of them and draw close to those who trust in their intelligence. The INTP needs to stop themselves from making rash decisions, and instead focus on analyzing the problems at hand.

ENTP

Minimal Stress: When stress begins to arise the ENTP may attempt to make light of the situation. They will resort to humor and enjoyment to relieving their stress. They will attempt to explore their love of possibilities and will search for new ways to solve the problem. Bouncing from one project to the next very quickly in hopes of finding one that sticks. They may attempt to analyze the problem and use their debating skills to talk it out with others.

High Stress: Under high levels of stress the ENTP may seem very different than their normal selves. They may begin to place emphasis on structure and become much more internal and guarded. ENTPs are normally gregarious and dynamic individuals, but under stress they may become more reserved. They may attempt to alienate themselves from others and will no longer be their outgoing selves. Instead of placing focus on the excitement of new ideas the ENTP may become focused on proven methods. Instead of enjoying the excitement in life the ENTP will become drawn to order and cautious decision making.

How to Deal: The ENTP needs to get back to their normally explorative selves. Instead of focusing on what they already know and understand, the ENTP must focus on new possibilities. They need to realize what is important to them and dive into something they are truly passionate about. The ENTP needs to feel excited once again and may be able to do this by drawing close to others who enjoy debating as much as they do. Getting into heated discussions about new ideas and problems will help the ENTP get back to normal. Getting around others like themselves who enjoy exploring new ideas, will help the ENTP immensely.

 

ISTJ

Minimal Stress: When the ISTJ begins to see stress arising they may attempt to focus on proven methods. They will become withdrawn and attempt to maintain their strong sense of order and duty. Following methods that the ISTJ has implemented before, helps them to stay focused on their direct path. They will attempt to create a sense of order and will focus solely on getting the job done like they normally do. They will focus strongly on fixing the problem and will attempt to figure out a way to maintain order.

High Stress: Under high levels of stress the ISTJ will no longer follow their strict sense of order like usual. They may become very caught up in the negative possibilities of their decisions. ISTJs usually trust the proven methods that they understand, but instead will become fearful that those solutions will no longer work. They may focus on trying new ways of problem solving, and become anxious about finding solutions. This high level of stress may become a problem for the ISTJ and they may lose sight of the tasks at and. The normally dutiful ISTJ will struggle with getting their usual tasks done and may fall short.

How to Deal: The ISTJ needs to reestablish their place in society and reconnect with their strong sense of duty. The ISTJ has probably lost sight of their ability to get the job done and in times of high stress no longer feel confident in themselves. To regain their sense of normalcy the ISTJ needs to focus on structure and order. They need to trust their ability to solve the problems at hand, and return to a sense of schedule and reliability.

ESTJ

Minimal Stress: When stress begins to arise the ESTJ will attempt regain order in their external environment. They will become very focused on getting the job done and attempt to create a sense of structure. They may attempt to impose this order on the people around them in hopes of creating a sense of efficiency and community. They will attempt to follow their sense of structure and follow through with the methods that have worked well for them in the past.

High Stress: Under high levels of stress the usually structured and practical ESTJ may become more emotionally focused. The ESTJ may become focused on their own internal emotions and attempt to find moral reasoning to their problems. They may lose sight of their sense of structure and rules, and desire to follow their emotional needs instead. They may become very hard on themselves and begin to feel disconnected from society and their loved ones. They may even seem more withdrawn and avoid their usual social engagements. They will no longer be as capable of making objective decisions and will apply moral and emotional aspects to them. They will become very defensive and too focused on the present moment. They may lash out at their loved ones and attempt to force them to fix the problems at hand.

How to Deal: The ESTJ needs to get back to their usual way of thinking in order to regain normalcy. They need to reconnect with their place in society and feel competent once again. They will do best around people who help to make them feel capable. They need people who will apply less stress on the ESTJ and who will not judge them for their failures. The ESTJ needs to regain order in their surroundings and will do best surrounded by hard-working and efficient individuals. They need to regain a trust in their own abilities to create order and to plan out efficient solutions.

ISFJ

Minimal Stress: Under small amounts of stress the ISFJ may attempt to regain harmony in their environment. They will seek to make sure everything is in normal order and structure. They will attempt to make sure that their loved ones are comfortable and try their best to tend to their needs. They may become overly focused on others and try to solve the problems by making sure people understand they are loved and appreciated. They may need some time alone to recharge and although they will attempt to do this, their need to help others may overshadow it.

High Stress: Under high levels of stress the normally organized ISFJ may lose sight of their ability to create order. They normally are focused on using past methods to solve problems, but instead may lose faith in their abilities to do so. They may become very insecure about their abilities to make decisions and struggle with following through with things. They normally have a strong sense of order but under high levels of stress the ISFJ may have a hard time keeping things together. Instead of relying on others the ISFJ may attempt to solve problems on their own, feeling unable to live up to their normal commitments. They may eventually place stress on others in an attempt to get things done.

How to Deal: ISFJs need to reconnect with their place in society. They need to regain their faith in themselves and their ability to care for others. The ISFJ will do best to remove pressure from themselves to perform, and instead work on getting back to their normal sense of structure. They need to allow themselves some time alone to regain their energy, but also focus on tending to the needs of others.

ESFJ

Minimal Stress: When stress beings to arise the ESFJ will focus very strongly on making sure everyone around them is happy. They may begin to strongly neglect their own wants and desires and attempt to figure out what their loved ones need. They will become focused on figuring out the best actions to making everyone happy. The ESFJ may become sensitive to what they do or say, being careful to make sure they do not offend others. They will attempt to solve the problems alone, hoping to keep anyone else from concern or stress.

High Stress: In situations where the ESFJ does not feel appreciated by others, they will become highly stressed. The normally caring and giving ESFJ will be less focused on others emotions. They may become cynical or critical towards those around them and attempt to make logical sense of things. They will become overly analytical and no longer place as much value on emotions. They may place harsher judgments on others and attempt to search for truth and logical understanding. They will begin to analyze the best actions and will overthink before they speak about something. The ESFJ may no longer feel inclined to participate in social engagements and instead may become withdrawn from others. The normally warm ESFJ may become harsh and cynical when they are under high stress.

How to Deal: The ESFJ needs to regain their sense of connection towards others. It is important that the people around the ESFJ attempt to make them feel appreciated. They need to realize how much good they bring to their loved ones lives, and focus on bringing that good once again. Tending to others is what makes the ESFJ happiest, so they need to place stronger emphasis on that in order to regain normalcy once again. Focusing on a stricter schedule and attempting to get things done will also help the ESFJ to reconnect with their normal selves.

 

ISTP

Minimal Stress: When stress begins to arise the ISTP may withdraw and avoid being around others. The ISTP will attempt to find a logical solution to their problem and will dive into their inner minds to figure out what needs to be done. The ISTP may attempt to critically analyze the issues at hand and will become very focused on solving the problem in the present moment. They will attempt to implement precision and discover any inconsistencies in the situation.

High Stress: Under extreme stress the ISTP may lose sight of their normal selves. The usually logical and self-reliant ISTP may begin to depend on others to make their decisions. They may begin to place emphasis on outside opinions instead of trusting their own minds. They may become defensive and reactive in an attempt to avoid being seen as a failure. They do not want others to realize that they are struggling with their abilities to problem solve and this will become stressful for the ISTP.

How to Deal: The ISTP needs to regain sight of their strengths. They need to once again place faith in their ability to logically analyze a problem. Focusing on the present moment is important to the ISTP, and they need to do this in order to regain normalcy. Focusing on the problem at hand and finding an immediate solution will help the ISTP. They need to trust in their ability to understand how the world around them works.

ESTP

Minimal Stress: When stress begins to arise the ESTP will become focused on the present moment. They may find themselves indulging in the physical aspects of the world. They will become focused on having fun and enjoy being surrounded by others. Placing emphasis on things like food, drink and sex. The ESTP will attempt to avoid the problem by enjoying the fun aspects of life.

High Stress: Under high levels of stress the ESTP may lose sight of the present moment. They may become focused on planning for the future and become stressed about negative outcomes. They may become paranoid about their decisions and fear for the worst. They will indulge in self-doubt and may begin to analyze everything that others say or do. They will become stressed about how others perceive them and become fearful that they cannot trust their friends or loved ones. They may become withdrawn and have a hard time being around others. The ESTP will become so focused on the future and making sure they do not make an error in their decision making.

How to Deal: For the ESTP to get back to normal they need to focus on the things that they enjoy. Living in the present moment is important for the ESTP, and too much planning will separate them from this. Focusing on the things that they enjoy and finding new and exciting adventures to indulge in is great for the ESTP.

ISFP

Minimal Stress: When stress begins to arise the ISFP may become withdrawn. The ISFP will attempt to regain energy by spending time introspecting and diving into the things that they enjoy most. The ISFP may dive into their favorite music or activities in an attempt to sort out their emotions. They will place strong emphasis on their internal morals and attempt to work out the right solution to their problems.

High Stress: Under extreme levels of stress the ISFP may no longer appear like themselves. This normally sensitive and artistic individual may become extremely factual and focused on a sense of structure and order. They may lose sight of their passions and desires in order to make more practical decisions. They may lose sight of the joys that the present moment normally brings them and instead become focused on future outcomes. They may become extremely critical of themselves and place more pressure on themselves to perform well.

How to Deal: The best way for the ISFP to get back to normal is by accepting themselves for who they are. Instead of placing emphasis on structure and planning the ISFP needs to dive into what they are passionate about. Regaining a connection with their artistic or adventurous side is important for the ISFP. They need to reconnect with their emotions and their strong sense of morality. Instead of placing criticism on themselves, the ISFP will do best if they surround themselves with people who appreciate who they truly are.

ESFP

Minimal Stress: When stress begins to arise the ESFP may focus on the things that they are passionate about. In an attempt to distract themselves from the stress the ESFP may dive into the present moment. They may indulge in shopping, food, drink or whatever things they enjoy most in life. ESFPs are very present in the real world and when they are under stress this shows very strongly. They will attempt to relax themselves by focusing on the things they enjoy most. The fun-loving ESFP will probably attempt to ignore their stress as much as they can.

High Stress: Under high levels of stress the ESFP may become overly paranoid. The usually present and fun ESFP may focus on the all the negative possibilities of their decisions. They may become nervous and guarded and lose sight of the things that they enjoy most. They may be fearful of the future and attach themselves to negative ideas of what they believe will happen. They may become very uneasy and feel immense amounts of self-doubt.

How to Deal: For the ESFP to get back to normal they need to focus more on the present moment. Attempting to solve the problems at hand instead of focusing strongly on the future. If the ESFP becomes too caught up in their negative thoughts, they will lose sight of themselves. The ESFP needs to attempt to enjoy all the things that life has to offer. By indulging in their passions and joys the ESFP can break out of their stress.

 

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