INTJ Anxiety: Dealing with the Many Forms of Anxiety
Anxiety is something most people deal with to some extent, but some people can be more prone to anxious feelings or behaviors. There is some correlation to personality types and anxiety and even to anxiety disorders. Sometimes this is simply because of their overactive minds and the way their natural functions process the world around them. For some people anxiety can simply be a temporary response to the stress around them, or from negative habits which have pushed them in this direction. Of course there are also times when this is an actual clinical anxiety which needs to be treated by others means like medication and seeking help from a licensed therapist. With anything there are often many ways to seek help, and it is important to take the appropriate steps to rectify the situation.
INTJs actually can be more prone to anxiety than people think, since they keep their feelings to themselves rather easily. They put a lot of pressure on themselves to succeed and can bury the negative emotions they experience, which can certainly cause anxiety to surface in their lives. INTJs are very focused and driven people, but that can cause them to neglect certain personal needs in favor of efficiency and getting things done. It is important for them to recognize these things and find ways of coping with the anxiety which sometimes emerges because of it. One of the biggest struggles for the INTJ is recognizing and accepting their anxiety, and asking for help when necessary.
Burying Emotions
INTJs are very internalized people, and so what you see on the surface is not entirely accurate to who they are. They can be labelled as cold and uncaring, but also as very cool and capable of getting things done without stress or worry. Just because the INTJ often appears calm and collected on the outside, does not at all mean this is what they feel on the inside. INTJs aren’t uncaring people at all, this isn’t something which is accurate to their personality type and entirely depends on the individual. Plenty of INTJs find this assessment to be wholly inaccurate to how they feel and who they are, but they aren’t ones to go out and correct people about this. Sometimes being viewed this way makes it easier to distance themselves, when in reality INTJs care deeply about the people they love and actually want to be someone who can make a positive difference in the world. While they do feel things on a very personal level, INTJs have a tendency to bury those emotions in favor of being logical and factual. This can cause them to experience anxiety later on, as those emotions start to fester and build up over time.
Fear of Failure
INTJs put a lot of pressure on themselves to be efficient and to be as knowledgeable as possible. INTJs can appear rather fearless on the outside, seeming as though they are capable of handling anything which comes their way without pressure or stress from this. In truth INTJs often experience a fear of failure which can cause them more anxiety than people realize. They want to be capable of accomplishing their goals and care about living up to their own high standards. Caring so deeply about meeting these goals and being efficient and knowledgeable people, can actually put a lot of pressure on the INTJ. This pressure can certainly create an internal fear of failure, and even cause the INTJ to go through times when they are highly anxious and on edge. Knowing that this fear and anxiety is irrational does not necessarily help cure the problem for the INTJ, instead it can cause them even more internal stress about it.
Social Anxiety
Perfectionism can actually be something which causes the INTJ to experience social anxiety, but it is important to know the difference between this and simply being an introvert. INTJs are introverts which means they need a lot of time to themselves or else they feel exhausted. This can certainly cause the INTJ to feel uneasy with the idea of interacting with people in a large social setting, but that doesn’t mean they have social anxiety. If the INTJ simply knows that they will become drained when they don’t have an easy escape plan, this is often normal for them. The INTJ who does suffer from social anxiety is more likely to analyze their own behaviors and try to plan out scripted responses to people. They fear what people will think of them and are anxious simply interacting with strangers because they are unsure how they will respond.
How to Deal
For the INTJ research and understanding is a major tool for helping them cope with anxiety. When they are struggling just learning about what they are going through and finding ways to improve their situation can bring them a sense of relaxation and peace of mind. INTJs find that research is actually a great comfort for them, and helps them maintain a sense of control over their own lives. When they are dealing with anxiety just learning about where this stems from and the different methods of improving can be even more useful than taking those steps. Whether they find that meditation, reading, or listening to music is helpful to them, it is more about finding a way to take control of the situation and not feel like they are incapable of pulling out of the anxious slump they are in.
Sometimes INTJs need to realize how to take things one step at a time, rather than trying to handle everything on their own. Asking for help is a big and difficult step for the INTJ, but sometimes it is necessary. They put a lot of pressure on themselves to succeed and this can be overwhelming, even if they don’t want to admit this to themselves. INTJs are highly capable and efficient people, but they still can overwork themselves and when they are feeling anxious sometimes asking for help is necessary.
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