INTP Trauma: How INTPs 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.

When it comes to experiencing trauma, INTPs can have a tendency to bury their feelings and try to move forward. They can adopt a mindset that this is something that happens to everyone, and they need to just let it go. Instead of coping with or processing the pain of this trauma, the INTP would rather push those feelings aside in hopes of avoiding them. It can appear like they deal well with trauma because they suggest that it is something that they cannot allow to change them. In reality, not dealing with those emotions can be just as harmful as letting them drown you. INTPs can seem to sort of clock out when it comes to trauma or negative emotions, which is why it is important for them to take more conscious time to deal with these experiences. It isn’t an easy process, especially for someone who prefers to focus on things that are more “logical” than emotions.

INTP Childhood Trauma

The INTP who has experienced serious childhood trauma is highly likely to bottle this up. They might not even remember this trauma from their past, finding ways to blank out from their memory. This isn’t an uncommon practice for people who have endured trauma from childhood, but it seems even more prevalent for the INTP. This can cause the INTP child to appear rather shut down and even have teachers and parents consider them to be difficult or reclusive. Since they don’t find it easy to express or analyze their own emotions from a young age, experiencing trauma is challenging. The INTP child can be viewed as a troublemaker since they might have certain ways of coping with their trauma by acting distant or challenging authority. If this occurs from a young age, it can definitely be a major reason for the INTP to distance themselves, not wanting to expose their feelings or seem vulnerable to anyone.

How Trauma Changes The INTP

Dealing with trauma can cause the INTP to become even more distant than they naturally would be. They can struggle with letting people in or ever really feeling safe to be vulnerable with those around them. The INTP can also go into their shadow or grip, appearing more focused on their weaker functions in unhealthy ways. They might appear rather conscious of how the outside world views them, wanting to live up to certain societal expectations. This isn’t something that is natural for the INTP and is often a sign they have certain trauma or stress they are not dealing with properly. They might act as if they don’t care outwardly, but this version of the INTP finds themselves constantly seeking validation from others. They might attempt to craft some sort of image, proving that they are capable of being successful in ways that they think are important to those around them. This can be challenging for the INTP personality. Ordinarily, they are more focused on logical practices and trying to understand the world in a rational way. They don’t find it natural to focus on their inferior extraverted feeling, which is what would drive them to care more about society and outside perspectives. For the INTP in this mode, it can be draining rather quickly, so they retreat for long periods of time, needing to be by themselves and not wanting to interact with others. While it is normal for the INTP to need plenty of alone time, in this case, they can appear reclusive and completely shut off from the world. The INTP who has endured serious trauma is more likely to shut down emotionally, appearing as if they are numb and unbothered when in reality, those feelings are definitely causing them internal struggles, which they are neglecting.

INTP Coping with Trauma

The difficulty in dealing with or coping with trauma for the INTP is the use of their inferior function. The INTP doesn’t generally find themselves utilizing a connection to emotions in order to understand things. Instead, they try to be logical and use their intuition to understand. When the INTP does focus on emotions, even for short times, it is often more connected to what other people feel and how the INTP can connect with that person’s emotions. Their inferior extraverted feeling can cause the INTP to turn to how others see them rather than how they view themselves. The INTP has a tendency to avoid their own emotions completely, pushing them aside and trying not to focus too much on the negative ones they experience. This makes it hard to deal with their trauma, so it is often important for them to seek outside help. Sometimes gaining perspective and researching the deeper implications of past trauma and PTSD can give the INTP some sense of clarity and connection. Knowing that they can find practical and logical solutions can be helpful for the INTP, but they still need to take time to process the emotions connected with their trauma. Seeking comfort in their loved ones can also be helpful for the INTP and gives them a sense of connection instead of allowing them to retreat.

 

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