[INFJ] Are INFJs more prone to PTSD?

[Alice97]

I suspect that I have Complex PTSD from the narcissistic abuse my dad put our family through as I was growing up. My sister and brother are both INTJs (like my dad), and I am an INFJ. Neither of my siblings show signs of PTSD, and both of them have narcissistic tendencies, I'm sure because of my dad's behavior. I'm just curious if INFJs are more prone than other types to develop PTSD as a response to trauma, since we tend to be more sensitive?

 

[Skarekrow]

I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a TYPE thing per say, but just a human response to long term exposure to anxiety/stressful situations.
That being said…I would imagine that the more sensitive and emotional the person is would raise the chances of something like PTSD occurring.
What have you done to help yourself?

 

[Alice97]

I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a TYPE thing per say, but just a human response to long term exposure to anxiety/stressful situations.
That being said…I would imagine that the more sensitive and emotional the person is would raise the chances of something like PTSD occurring.
What have you done to help yourself?

That makes sense. I've just started realizing how messed up I really am, and that I probably have some form of PTSD, so I haven't done much to help myself. Researching the disorder and emotional abuse has helped some. I have regained some sanity just by understanding my symptoms a little better. There's not a lot I can do in my present situation to really heal, but I've found that music and journaling have helped me cope.

 

[INFJ16]

I suspect that I have Complex PTSD from the narcissistic abuse my dad put our family through as I was growing up. My sister and brother are both INTJs (like my dad), and I am an INFJ. Neither of my siblings show signs of PTSD, and both of them have narcissistic tendencies, I'm sure because of my dad's behavior. I'm just curious if INFJs are more prone than other types to develop PTSD as a response to trauma, since we tend to be more sensitive?

Yikes

I've seen and experienced things that seemed or rather felt emotionally traumatic at the time, but no PTSD.

The problem with getting PTSD because of your parents is that they should be the people teaching and helping you through trauma. When they're the ones who cause it, you're pretty much screwed unless you have better mentors around.

Also, it seems to me that your siblings narcissistic tendencies could be their coping mechanism for what they went through. Whereas your response may be PTSD. Bad situations naturally bring about negative coping mechanisms.
People respond differently to situations. I don't think this is really a type thing since people's personalities go beyond their mbti. Even If there is some type/PTSD correlation It would be difficult to prove.

My suggestion to you is to consult a professional. We are all overly biased when it comes to self-diagnosis. If you'd prefer not to talk to a professional, perhaps a close and trusted friend (not for diagnosis or even advice, but for the automatic therapy that comes from confiding in someone who cares about you.)

 

[invisible]

“‘You’re thinking of breakdown as a reaction to a single traumatic event, but it’s not like that. It’s more a matter of... erosion. Weeks and months of stress in a situation where you can’t get away from it... I don’t know that there is a “kind of person who breaks down.” I imagine most of us could if the pressure were bad enough. I know I could.'” - Pat Barker, "Regeneration"

 

[Alice97]

Yikes

I've seen and experienced things that seemed or rather felt emotionally traumatic at the time, but no PTSD.

The problem with getting PTSD because of your parents is that they should be the people teaching and helping you through trauma. When they're the ones who cause it, you're pretty much screwed unless you have better mentors around.

Also, it seems to me that your siblings narcissistic tendencies could be their coping mechanism for what they went through. Whereas your response may be PTSD. Bad situations naturally bring about negative coping mechanisms.
People respond differently to situations. I don't think this is really a type thing since people's personalities go beyond their mbti. Even If there is some type/PTSD correlation It would be difficult to prove.

My suggestion to you is to consult a professional. We are all overly biased when it comes to self-diagnosis. If you'd prefer not to talk to a professional, perhaps a close and trusted friend (not for diagnosis or even advice, but for the automatic therapy that comes from confiding in someone who cares about you.)

I know I need to talk to someone eventually, but that's tough while I still live at home and would have to deal with more stress with my parents if they found out I talked to someone. But you're right, I know I need help from someone.

 

[Alice97]

“‘You’re thinking of breakdown as a reaction to a single traumatic event, but it’s not like that. It’s more a matter of... erosion. Weeks and months of stress in a situation where you can’t get away from it... I don’t know that there is a “kind of person who breaks down.” I imagine most of us could if the pressure were bad enough. I know I could.'” - Pat Barker, "Regeneration"

Thank you. I needed to hear that. And that's exactly how it feels. It has been months and years of stress in a situation I couldn't escape.

 

[invisible]

I know I need to talk to someone eventually, but that's tough while I still live at home and would have to deal with more stress with my parents if they found out I talked to someone. But you're right, I know I need help from someone.

Professional help is pretty great, but you can get a long way without it too. A diagnosis is not something that actually exists within a person, it's a therapeutic tool that is used to come up with ways of addressing problems, and if it can't do that then it's pretty much useless. So you can still work with the diagnosis without actually getting it attached to yourself by a professional. Like there is a book called the PTSD Workbook by Mary Beth Williams, you could request it at your library and photocopy the exercises one at a time and work through them.

 

[Alice97]

Professional help is pretty great, but you can get a long way without it too. A diagnosis is not something that actually exists within a person, it's a therapeutic tool that is used to come up with ways of addressing problems, and if it can't do that then it's pretty much useless. So you can still work with the diagnosis without actually getting it attached to yourself by a professional. Like there is a book called the PTSD Workbook by Mary Beth Williams, you could request it at your library and photocopy the exercises one at a time and work through them.

Thanks!! I'll look into it.

 

[jackoftheoceanwave]

I actually found this post because I recently realised probably my personality type of infj interacted when very young with an unsympathetic culture, and prevalance of types that had little in common led to situations in a young child that rose to the level of ptsd in the childs mind. I think anyone can get ptsd, its when a situation seems overwhelmingly threatening and unable to be fended off by inner resources stress rises to off the chart levels and the ptsd damage is done, I think infj might be particularly vulnerable to it though. After a lot of thought and experience I think the different types fit together to make a whole and if we could deal with facts kindly, without descending into stories that cause immense pain to ourselves and others, we would all function and things would work. Failing that realise that when we are little we are blank slates (except for our innate tendencies) then some painful event or series of events happen - and from them we form a picture of who we think we are, and what we think the world is like. We treat those pictures as if they are fact - and in a young, for example, infj child, they can generate intense overwellming emotion. But the picture is only a story told by the imperfect understanding of a child keeping us locked in a restricted cage until we see it.

 

[Pin]

Compared to other types, I hope so. I'd hate to find myself traumatized by a combat situation.

 

[Lurk]

“‘You’re thinking of breakdown as a reaction to a single traumatic event, but it’s not like that. It’s more a matter of... erosion. Weeks and months of stress in a situation where you can’t get away from it... I don’t know that there is a “kind of person who breaks down.” I imagine most of us could if the pressure were bad enough. I know I could.'” - Pat Barker, "Regeneration"

+5