INFP Trauma: How INFPs Deal with and Respond to Past Trauma
When it comes to experiencing trauma, everyone has their own ways of handling and coping with what they go through. Of course, it often requires certain help from others, and serious trauma can also require therapy to find tools and ways to move through it. There are so many different types of trauma. Some happen so subtly that we don’t even realize we have endured a truly traumatic experience. It can be difficult to process, especially when you are still involved in the trauma which is bringing you down. This is something that can affect someone’s behavior long-term and make certain personality types behave in ways that don’t seem to really fit who they normally are. This is why it is important to understand the different ways that trauma can change someone or alter their behavior.
For INFPs, any kind of trauma, especially emotional trauma, can be particularly challenging to cope with. They feel things on such a deep level to begin with and can struggle to really understand and process the trauma from their past. They do, however, try their best to accept their emotions, as INFPs don’t like pushing things aside and pretending for the sake of image. For the INFP, this trauma can come out in different ways, often depending on what they have endured and if they attempt to process it or simply struggle to recognize that they have been through something traumatic. If trauma has not been properly dealt with, it can cause the INFP to behave as if they are in their shadow for rather long periods of time or even constantly. Not dealing with these experiences and that hurt from the past is something that causes most personality types to behave differently and can even cause them to be mistyped.
INFP Childhood Trauma
Dealing with trauma from childhood can be truly challenging for the INFP since it makes it more difficult to recognize that they need to cope with this. When the INFP has already developed a strong sense of self, it becomes easier for them to move on from a traumatic experience. Knowing who they are after years of diving into their own thoughts and feelings helps the INFP develop a rather table framework that allows them to stand their ground against these things. This is why trauma as a child can really alter the personality and behaviors of the INFP, even causing them to be mistyped. Trauma from childhood can hit the INFP hard at a time when they should still be working to develop who they are and what their sense of morals truly are. Not being able to work on these inner ideals makes it hard for the INFP to really understand themselves. They struggle to really understand their own needs and can become a much more scattered version of themselves.
How Trauma Changes The INFP
Trauma affects the INFP by making them go into their shadow and almost live in a constant state of being a different version of themselves. The INFP can be harsh and critical, searching out facts and details and trying to be “efficient.” They might appear to be judgemental of others, constantly seeing how they could be doing better in their lives. This version of the INFP doesn’t see things in such a peaceful and positive light. Instead, they see how people need to improve and how they lack a sense of efficiency in their lives. They might start to see people as immoral but have a skewed view of what this means. This is especially the case for the INFP who experiences childhood trauma, as they find their own sense of morals aren’t developed in the way they should be. The INFP might even behave as an extrovert, constantly seeking out validation from others and searching for ways to find answers to their problems. Having endured something traumatic causes them to utilize functions other than the ones they should, pushing aside that introverted feeling (Fi) in order to ignore the inner turmoil which is wreaking havoc on the INFP. This causes the INFP to behave in many different versions of themselves, rarely being seen as the understanding and sensitive INFP, the one who sees the world as filled with beauty and potential. This doesn’t mean the INFP isn’t this person deep down. It just means their trauma has caused them to go into a cocoon of protection.
INFP Coping with Trauma
The best way for the INFP to cope with their trauma is to recognize it and consciously seek out ways to grow and improve. INFPs are capable of making a difference in the world, so seeking out ways to help others through similar experiences can be an amazing tool for them. Once they have taken the appropriate time to process their own trauma and start to self-reflect on what they have been through, the healing can start to begin. It can be hard for anyone to relive this trauma and find ways to accept it without blaming themselves, but it can be especially difficult for the INFP. They can often go through feelings of serious guilt, continuing to blame themselves for how things went in the past. It is important for the INFP to seek out help (often professionally) after serious trauma and to journal their experiences and process it themselves. They are skilled at analyzing themselves and understanding their own emotions, so long as they take the time to do so. Once the INFP has allowed themselves time to grieve and accept their past, they can start to move forward toward being a more compassionate and understanding person. Helping others and using this trauma to make a difference in the world is one of the best ways to heal and move on for the INFP. Once they do this, they can truly start to feel like themselves and become a more stable and harmonious individual.
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