Extreme Introversion, Three Lefts Making A Right | INFJ Forum

Extreme Introversion, Three Lefts Making A Right

Chopsifer

Regular Poster
May 7, 2009
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Lately I've been thinking about introversion a lot, especially as it has related to some of my own experiences and I had a question for some other introverts of any type.

Do you ever experience a moment where you are by yourself and in your own mind for so long that you almost seem to experience a self-overstimulation?

My most recent (and only) episode was a night or so ago. It was... really interesting and quite confusing, to say the least. I had the sensation of racing thoughts, where my mind did nothing but jump to all of these huge, assumptive conclusions based off of one teensy occurrence. I experience very fast thoughts sometimes, where I draw connections and understand ideas like clockwork, but never to a point where I literally felt overstimulated from them.

Maybe that was just my Ni? And I experienced a Ni overload?

Any thoughts on the matter or insight via personal recollections would be appreciated. The thought of an inward over-stimulation certainly seems curious..
 
Sounds to me like you're talking about a 'flow' state. When everything seems to click into place. I think a part of this is Ni going into overdrive without being impeded by the other processes but I can't be sure. I don't reach flow states very often but when I do I feel like I can accomplish a lot (this is contrast to the 'manic' state of bipolar disorder where the thoughts are grandiose in nature).

Sometimes I enter a space out state where I allocate all of my mental resources to Ni. I might be watching a fire mindlessly for example, and then suddenly something will just click. It's like playing a slot machine I guess. You cant see how it all comes together and trace your line of thought, it just clicks into place and you can feel it -- and you know its true.
 
Hm.
I definitely know that feeling of everything clicking and connections being made. I experience that often and strive to get those moments of clarity whenever I can... But I never really have experienced a feeling of being overwhelmed by it or overstimulated by it to the point where I literally had to just silence all of my thoughts for a moment.

That is what is bizarre about the situation to me. Is it the same type of thing but to a more extreme degree or is it some kind of manic episode that occurred? And how does it relate, if at all, to the MBTI.
 
It might be considered a manic episode but its probably lower in intensity than the typical manic episodes that people with bipolar disorder get. I'm not sure, i'd have to ask some friends of mine like an INTP and INTJ I know.
 
I get this late at night sometimes(Usually around 1 AM or so). Its like my mind switches gears or something, but I've actually put it to a lot of use. I do some of my best writing when I'm in this state of mind. Everything suddenly makes sense and I can flow from one point or idea to the next. I used it alot for papers, and programming assignments.

I could see it being a milder form of a manic state, since as Angel noted the thoughts aren't grandiose in nature. Plus I still have impulse control.
 
Yes I get moments like that when I am sitting quiet for long periods of time and my mind gets the better of me. Usually happens more often then not out of moments of negitive emotions and thoughts. All a product of Ni.
 
Yes I do know what you are talking about. Can't say it happens as much times as I would like it to though. Like some of you said only in absolute solitude could I get to this stat of understanding.
 
Lately I've been thinking about introversion a lot, especially as it has related to some of my own experiences and I had a question for some other introverts of any type.

Do you ever experience a moment where you are by yourself and in your own mind for so long that you almost seem to experience a self-overstimulation?

I absolutely get this sometimes. It can be a little overwhelming. My mind feels like it is overloading, and I am processing a billion thoughts together in an instant. I could liken it to watching every channel on TV, all at the same time :) Usually, it does produce some sort of 'clarity'. I do like it, as it's usually when I am most creative. It can be tiring though and it leaves me feeling slightly drained. I don't think what we're describing here is mania or hypomania at all - Like Angel mentions, there are none of the typical aspects of a manic episode - I think it's a result of the IN functions interacting.
 
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It's called hypomania. I get a mild variant of it every so often. I like it, you can daydream like it's nobody's business. I don't think there's a correlation between people who are considered introverted and mania. It's suspected that it is caused by a serotonic or dopaminergic imbalance.
 
I have Bipolar II and get that during my hypomanic episodes, Ni going off like crazy.
 
It might be considered a manic episode but its probably lower in intensity than the typical manic episodes that people with bipolar disorder get. I'm not sure, i'd have to ask some friends of mine like an INTP and INTJ I know.
I spoke to an INTP who sometimes experiences episodes like this. Except she describes them as 'hyperfocusing', which is the ability to focus on a single task and just do it much better than usual. I suppose its very much like Ni hyperfocusing (which sometimes happens even when we are not in a 'flow' state) but probably more effective.