Addiction and INFJ | INFJ Forum

Addiction and INFJ

shadowca

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Sep 12, 2012
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Anyone find a correlation between addiction and being an INFJ? Addiction is a disease affecting the mesolimbic dopamine system. The amygdula, part of the brain involved with fear, has been permanently heightened. This promotes people with addiction to spin things in their head, catastrophize, obsess over issues much beyond their control, and exist in thought. This combined with my infj type has created a double wammy of self reflection and intellectualizing that ceases to stop. Anyone have any experience with this?
 
I'm actually pretty good with physical addictions. I've quit smoking 6 times. :p

If anything, I'd say that obsessing over things in my head makes me less impulsive and therefore less likely to give into cravings or smoke crack in the first place, and more likely to know when I have a problem.

Except for this forum, I wouldn't consider myself to have an addictive personality. I can definitely still get addicted to things, but I have wayyyyy more restraint and self-control than a lot of other people I've met.
 
Addictions in itself is a chase for dopamine. Different chemicals affect the system in different ways, some by flooding the synapse with dopamine and others by blocking the uptake valve on the neuron. But what it boils down to is once the imbalance is in place it is permanent and irreversible, and actually gets worse over time without the substances. I need to be mindful of any and all behaviors that release dopamine. Internet, shopping, gambling, sex, eating... All activities release dopamine and the key for me for the rest of my life is to watch myself in how much i engage in any of those. But the mental obsession and existing in my head is a symptom of this dopamine imbalance and is prepetuated by my INFJ personality type. Since I was a child I always prefer to be alone, it is when I feel most safe and the most able to contemplate things, whether it be in self reflection, political/philosophical views, or my past/future. It can get overwhelming sometimes though. After a long day of school my family does not understand I require time alone, they always are pushing me to come hang out upstairs or watch a movie with them or this or that, and that being said I am not blaming them for their desire for interaction. But I do not have anything left to give of myself until i recharge by myself in contemplation. One thing that has helped me exponentially is meditation, as it is exactly what I need; a clearing of the mind.
 
I have a very addictive personality. It might tie in with my Fe, I'm not sure. I can't even drink soda og coffee, because I will start abusing it heavily. Thankfully I'm completely clean now, in large part thanks to techniques from the Krishna consciousness movement :)
 
Oh... I say I have an addictive personality, but I wouldnt tie it directly to being INFJ... Id say its to do with deprivation of something at some point of your life - if something has been scarce, you are more likely to over-indulge in it later in life, if it makes sense?
 
I think INFJs tend to get addicted to something since we do have obsessive behaviour.
 
I'm quite addicted to caffeinated drinks. Coffee, energy drinks etc. I think these substances stimulate my Se and it's quite enjoyable feeling that sense of rush and adrenaline. My heart doesn't appreciate it though lol