INFJ and substance abuse?
- Thread starter Lisabeth
- Start date
i have abused a wide range of things in this way in the past. but i was very unhappy in my life and as i have resolved these problems relating to my self my appetite for escaping through these avenues has all but vanished. maybe an unstable INFJ is susceptible to this sort of behaviour, but a more stable INFJ with a resolved personality is not so much? although i still drink a fair amount of coffee!
i too am interested in whether other INFJs have had experiences suggesting that there could be a connection between being INFJ and substance abuse, or whether being INFJ makes one more likely to abuse substances, etc. am i the only person with ideas about this?
I have had addictions but not with substances, I've had "love addiction" manifested as sex addiction.
Overindulgence in Sensual Pleasures
In effective dominant Extraverted Sensing types, the enjoyment of sensual pleasures is natural, spontaneous, and quite consistent with their focus on the reality of the immediate environment. In Introverted Intuitive types in the grip of inferior Extraverted Sensing, this quality takes the form of sensual excess rather than sensual pleasure. It is interesting that a number of INTJs and INFJs described themselves as becoming self-centered and self-indulgent when they are in the grip a descriptor often projected onto well-functioning Extraverted Sensing types by INTJs and INFJs (and by other types as well).
Overdoing gratification of the senses is a commonly mentioned behavior for INTJs and INFJs in the grip of their inferior function. They may overeat or binge. They see themselves as obsessively doing harm to their bodies. A typical tactic is to overindulge compulsively and immediately thereafter if not during the episode berate themselves for their uncontrolled, shallow, destructive behavior. An INTJ described the experience this way:
There is a clear preliminary state where I am totally apart from the real world. I am not even an observer, and I can completely ignore anything real. It's a nice fantasy, that's all just absorbing. But later I become excessively indulgent, getting totally immersed in physical experiences eating, exercise, pulp fiction, TV. But I don't enjoy it. It feels like a dangerous roller coaster, but I'm immobilized and can't get off.
An INFJ said, I have to get away from reality. I do too much of something one thing. I eat more or stop eating; I shop for useless things. Another said, I eat too much, spend too much, watch TV or read excessively to escape. I'm late for everything. An INTJ said her pattern is to overeat, feel guilty about it, wake up in the night and feel worse, get too little sleep, causing her to feel more vulnerable, and then eat more. Another INTJ feels bad about her overeating but not guilty: I hate it when people brag about how much they exercise! she said.
In effective dominant Extraverted Sensing types, the enjoyment of sensual pleasures is natural, spontaneous, and quite consistent with their focus on the reality of the immediate environment. In Introverted Intuitive types in the grip of inferior Extraverted Sensing, this quality takes the form of sensual excess rather than sensual pleasure. It is interesting that a number of INTJs and INFJs described themselves as becoming self-centered and self-indulgent when they are in the grip a descriptor often projected onto well-functioning Extraverted Sensing types by INTJs and INFJs (and by other types as well).
Overdoing gratification of the senses is a commonly mentioned behavior for INTJs and INFJs in the grip of their inferior function. They may overeat or binge. They see themselves as obsessively doing harm to their bodies. A typical tactic is to overindulge compulsively and immediately thereafter if not during the episode berate themselves for their uncontrolled, shallow, destructive behavior. An INTJ described the experience this way:
There is a clear preliminary state where I am totally apart from the real world. I am not even an observer, and I can completely ignore anything real. It's a nice fantasy, that's all just absorbing. But later I become excessively indulgent, getting totally immersed in physical experiences eating, exercise, pulp fiction, TV. But I don't enjoy it. It feels like a dangerous roller coaster, but I'm immobilized and can't get off.
An INFJ said, I have to get away from reality. I do too much of something one thing. I eat more or stop eating; I shop for useless things. Another said, I eat too much, spend too much, watch TV or read excessively to escape. I'm late for everything. An INTJ said her pattern is to overeat, feel guilty about it, wake up in the night and feel worse, get too little sleep, causing her to feel more vulnerable, and then eat more. Another INTJ feels bad about her overeating but not guilty: I hate it when people brag about how much they exercise! she said.
I've experimented heavily with opiates, dissociatives and psychedelics as a way to alter a less than pleasant reality, not so much recreational use, more like self medication.
I've experimented with a lot of different substances and used some regularly in high school/college but never to the point of abuse. There are a few drugs I could have tried but stayed away from (rec use of prescription pain med, heroine, meth, crack etc) because I wasn't willing to take the risk of becoming addicted, which I think is pretty high for those drugs. I've always thought occasional or situational use of drugs/alcohol is best, if you're going to use them in the first place.
I don't look at it as "abuse", I prefer to think of
it as "passionate towards."
My jokes get worse and worse.
We all abuse substances whether we realize it
or not.
Also, if you over-eat, I'm about to provide y'all
with an excuse. As scavengers we are programmed
subconsciously to eat everything that we have
because we don't know when we're going to get
our next meal.
I guess this also means in the grand scheme of things
you're more barbaric and less civilized unable to
ignore animal instincts. Oh society, how thou art
shaping our most primal of worries.
it as "passionate towards."
My jokes get worse and worse.
We all abuse substances whether we realize it
or not.
Also, if you over-eat, I'm about to provide y'all
with an excuse. As scavengers we are programmed
subconsciously to eat everything that we have
because we don't know when we're going to get
our next meal.
I guess this also means in the grand scheme of things
you're more barbaric and less civilized unable to
ignore animal instincts. Oh society, how thou art
shaping our most primal of worries.
My guess was that it probably wasn't prevalent in this personality type, but like someone said, if it does occur then it's most likely due to inner instability rather than type driven. I was always too afraid of touching anything, but I did end up abusing cohol. I was self medicating a lot of anxiety and fears. So unstable....check lol! I haven't drank in almost four years and no longer have those issues I medicated. I was just wondering if anyone had a similar experience. Those t I do know that have substance abuse or dependency issues are sociopaths and narcisistst lol....like the real deal. It's hard for me to relate to those personalities and I am around them all the time. I guess that's why I joined this site lol.
