INTP 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.
INTPs have a tendency to repress their emotions and negative feelings, and so this can cause those things to fester and build up over time. Sometimes burying their feelings can certainly cause anxiety, and the trouble is the INTP doesn’t usually know where this is coming from. They are also chronic overthinkers, and while this can be a good thing it can also cause them to get stuck in analyzing information There are many reasons why the INTP might experience times of feeling highly anxious, but when it is situational they can often find tools to help them deal with this anxiety and cope with it in much healthier ways.
Burying Emotions
INTPs don’t naturally focus on their own emotions, and so this can make it difficult when they are upset or bothered about something. While INTPs might not find it easy or natural to focus on their feelings, that doesn’t mean they are immune to them. INTPs often feel things just as deeper, or even more so than other people. They just don’t really feel comfortable focusing on these emotions, instead they are drawn to things which are logical or can be proven. They might even try to problem solve and “fix” emotions, instead of simply trying to understand and accept them for what they are. While the INTP might think they are doing just fine by pushing these feelings aside, neglecting their emotions can cause them to build up and express themselves in negative ways. Whether they want to pay attention to their feelings and emotional needs or not, they will find a way of showing up one way or another. This can certainly cause the INTP to feel anxious in certain situations without realizing what is going on inside of them. They feel uneasy or anxious because these feelings or trying to push to the surface, but they are often emotions the INTP has attempted to neglect for so long. Burying emotions does not cause them to go away, it just makes it so the INTP feels those things but they are so internalized that they don’t cope with them in healthy ways.
This is even more likely to happen when the INTP batteries are running low anyways. When they have been socializing or interacting with people for too long, the INTP becomes drained. They need to find distance from this but there are times when they can’t do this easily, like holidays or certain events. When the INTP becomes drained from this they do seem much more anxious, but they don’t always recognize where this is coming from. This is when they can also be more susceptible to their emotions coming to the surface, when they are drained and overwhelmed by their environment.
The Curse of Overthinking
INTPs are chronic overthinkers, but sometimes they can go into a spiral of analyzing something until it makes them anxious. When this happens the INTP starts to obsess over the details and will never really feel like they have figured it out to the level they want to. Overthinking is something which can cause the INTP to doubt themselves and their conclusions and this can certainly stem from anxiety. They question themselves and their own choices, not sure if they should move forward with something or not. INTPs become more anxious when they are stagnant, and often need to find things to keep themselves moving forward. Not having projects or new ideas to stimulate their Ne, can leave the INTP turning to other functions and cause them to feel anxious and uneasy because of this. INTPs want to be able to absorb and explore new information, but when they become trapped in this constant over-analyzing phase they can cause themselves to feel stagnant and this makes them feel more anxious.
Social Anxiety
It is important to remember that just because INTPs are introverts does not mean they have social anxiety. Some might be more prone to this when they alienate themselves for long periods of times and don’t connect with other people at all. INTPs find it easy to distance themselves and spend so much time inside of their own bubble, and of course this can attribute to them having social anxiety when they are tossed into new social situations after a long time of no interaction. Most INTPs can navigate these social outings just fine, and just because they need time to themselves after doesn’t mean they actually have social anxiety.
How to Deal
Instead of burying themselves into more nihilistic beliefs and connections, the INTP needs to actually pay attention to those festering emotions. It isn’t always and easy process and they are often less likely to take this important step towards understanding their own emotions and internal needs. They can’t fully escape anxiety if they don’t take the time to figure out what is making them feel so anxious. INTPs need to set aside the time to process what is bothering them, sometimes trying to analyze the past can help but letting in those emotions is important as well. It isn’t always about solving the problem, simply about recognizing what is upsetting them and learning to accept that those feelings are there.
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