Music and INFJ's

S

SpoofyMcPoof

Community Member
MBTI
INFJ
I recently went on a music buying binge, and while listening to it I noticed that I almost get a "high" from good music. Tingles, a rush of the feel good chemicals, ect. It's always been this way with me and good music, I feel as if it reaches inside me and for a few moments altars who and what I am. It goes beyond just simple enjoyment for me, it's much deeper. Listening to powerful music I feel as if I could destroy the world ect. I wondered if perhaps this was an INFJ trait, so do any of you experience this with music?

On the same token I feel as if there is music inside me waiting to get out but I lack the skills.
 
InnerFlame00 said:
It goes beyond just simple enjoyment for me, it's much deeper. Listening to powerful music I feel as if I could destroy the world ect. I wondered if perhaps this was an INFJ trait, so do any of you experience this with music?

On the same token I feel as if there is music inside me waiting to get out but I lack the skills.
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yes i feel that too :) :) hihihihi that's why I dance... I feel the music inside me and I have to let it out and express it

I can see the music through dancing... though it can only be seen if I feel it I see it as an art.. see it through my heart not through my eyes

:) :) :)
 
I am a very musical person. I play or have played several intruments. I have always been a huge music listener! I can get obsessive about it at times. By this I mean that when I like a new song I can listen to it over and over and over. One last thing I will add here is that when I love a new song, it can have a physical effect on me. If I am really into that song, and it comes on, my whole scalp will tingle (literally!) for 5-10 seconds. This is a very different sensation and never fails to amaze me!
 
I'm not an INFJ but I can relate. I listen to music all the time, and when I'm not listening to it I'm hearing it in my mind anyway. Some music is extremely powerful and can bring me to tears, or to the highest echelons of euphoria. It think it has something to do with the fact that the mind likes patterns, and music is basically a carefully constructed symphony of complex patterns. We can predict, to some extent, the next wave of patterns, and that probably satisfies us on some deep, primitive level.
 
May said:
I'm not an INFJ but I can relate. I listen to music all the time, and when I'm not listening to it I'm hearing it in my mind anyway. Some music is extremely powerful and can bring me to tears, or to the highest echelons of euphoria. It think it has something to do with the fact that the mind likes patterns, and music is basically a carefully constructed symphony of complex patterns. We can predict, to some extent, the next wave of patterns, and that probably satisfies us on some deep, primitive level.
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Perfectly put! :)
 
I am not an INFJ and music has a similar effect on me. I have always wondered why it does. Eventually I ended up chalking it up to my years of training and my musical ear, but that may not be it. Who knows...
 
I love and enjoy music, in fact I am listening to it almost every single second possible, I a lot on it, it is a source of relaxation, it is a source where I can release my darkest emotions or just go in a state euphoria, where I can go wild as well as relax, all the different styles, the different genres, overall music is fantastic and an important element of my life.
 
Music, ay thats the rub
 
I feel like I get cravings for music sometimes. Like I have to ... consume it?

I totally get what you're saying, though. I can't eloquently expand.




This may be, like, SUCH a tangent, but I wonder sometimes if it has anything to do with having what they call an "addictive personality." You know, people who over-exert themselves when they go out running often experience a "runner's high" caused by the endorphines released. And you can be addicted to your own endorphines, which, I guess, would also be released when you hear a song that has a really great sound or lyrics that speak to you.

I don't know much about it, but I know there is a type of OCD in which people get either obsessions or compulsions relating to fandoms [including certain types of music/artists], and listening to the music is the only way to satisfy the craving for the endorphines.

/Sorry for my ignorant post. Like I said, I don't know much about it. I only had a conversation about it with my psychologist friend once.
 
InnerFlame00 said:
I noticed that I almost get a "high" from good music.
Click to expand...

I actually do. I have reason to believe that there is something wrong (although that is a negitive word) with my brain. I have been on a handful of drugs in the past, so I have alot to compare to. When I am listening to music, and I am truly focusing on it, I will have waves, or pauses where I feel a "high" flood through me, and it is extremely anagalous to the physical feelings accompanied by pot (for me at least), and magic mushrooms. These feelings themselves are not fully physical, and not fully emotional. The bridge between the two exactly, and become something else entirely that can not be explicitly explained (unfortonately). It is one of those things you have to feel for yourself to understand.

This all started with me over this summer. Before, these "upheavals" as I call them, were not triggered by music, but now they can be, and in a way I can sometimes will them. I have to be in the right mindset, mood, and location, for it to happen. Music has always had a grip on me. As far back as I can remember, I tried extremely hard to relate, understand, pick apart, and most importantly, feel the music that I like and listen to. I have broken down the elements of music that I align with, and why, but that is a very long discussion in itself. Now, music is able to truly grip me, and hold me down if I allow it to. This is not a bad thing though. I will sometimes want to enter these altered states, if you can call them that, to further understand my mind and current condition in the world. It is overloading though. These waves or pulses caused by music can be powerful enough to force me to move, or make an audible noise. The entire time I feel the presence of this building up in me, I can in effect predict the over all feelings I will get, but not when I will actually get a pulse. There is definitely a mental and cerebral part to this as well that augments all of this musical stuff, and can effect how it works.

I do think it the intensity associated with music is an INFJ thing. Music has such a powerful effect on the mind (some more then others), and as INFJ's intrinsicly want to understand themselves, and explain it. Music allows them to do this. One can feel the music and associate with it, thus using it to explain how they feel, or think. It can also be used as a springboard for insight, or many other things as well. There is so much too this, and I could go on for ever on this subject.

Music is exceedingly important to me, and has one of the most powerful effects over me then anything else I know.
 
InnerFlame00 said:
I recently went on a music buying binge, and while listening to it I noticed that I almost get a "high" from good music. Tingles, a rush of the feel good chemicals, ect. It's always been this way with me and good music, I feel as if it reaches inside me and for a few moments altars who and what I am. It goes beyond just simple enjoyment for me, it's much deeper. Listening to powerful music I feel as if I could destroy the world ect. I wondered if perhaps this was an INFJ trait, so do any of you experience this with music?

On the same token I feel as if there is music inside me waiting to get out but I lack the skills.
Click to expand...

wow! you said *exactly* what i feel. :)
yeah, i wish i could compose well...
 
IndigoSensor said:
I actually do. I have reason to believe that there is something wrong (although that is a negitive word) with my brain. I have been on a handful of drugs in the past, so I have alot to compare to. When I am listening to music, and I am truly focusing on it, I will have waves, or pauses where I feel a "high" flood through me, and it is extremely anagalous to the physical feelings accompanied by pot (for me at least), and magic mushrooms. These feelings themselves are not fully physical, and not fully emotional. The bridge between the two exactly, and become something else entirely that can not be explicitly explained (unfortonately). It is one of those things you have to feel for yourself to understand.

This all started with me over this summer. Before, these "upheavals" as I call them, were not triggered by music, but now they can be, and in a way I can sometimes will them. I have to be in the right mindset, mood, and location, for it to happen. Music has always had a grip on me. As far back as I can remember, I tried extremely hard to relate, understand, pick apart, and most importantly, feel the music that I like and listen to. I have broken down the elements of music that I align with, and why, but that is a very long discussion in itself. Now, music is able to truly grip me, and hold me down if I allow it to. This is not a bad thing though. I will sometimes want to enter these altered states, if you can call them that, to further understand my mind and current condition in the world. It is overloading though. These waves or pulses caused by music can be powerful enough to force me to move, or make an audible noise. The entire time I feel the presence of this building up in me, I can in effect predict the over all feelings I will get, but not when I will actually get a pulse. There is definitely a mental and cerebral part to this as well that augments all of this musical stuff, and can effect how it works.

I do think it the intensity associated with music is an INFJ thing. Music has such a powerful effect on the mind (some more then others), and as INFJ's intrinsicly want to understand themselves, and explain it. Music allows them to do this. One can feel the music and associate with it, thus using it to explain how they feel, or think. It can also be used as a springboard for insight, or many other things as well. There is so much too this, and I could go on for ever on this subject.

Music is exceedingly important to me, and has one of the most powerful effects over me then anything else I know.
Click to expand...

man...i must say - you can pen things extremely well (and no, im not just saying that :) ). Your comment is so descriptive, and has a elgant simplicity about it. It describes what it should, without rambling, but provides a profound description of both you and your experiences. well done, my friend :) (writing extremely well must be an INFJ thing im lacking some of lol).
and yes, i think INFJs have a naturally proclivity not to just merely appreciate music - but to take it to a more deeper meaningful level - where they truly appreciate it. They (speaking for myself, but making presumptions to the general INFJ type) analyze it, try to see what parts evoke what emotions, break it down to different voices and instruments; look at the nuances and try to understand what they do for the composition, both as a whole and in that particular moment for a track - how they add to the track and how they make the listener feel, and how the composer must have felt, and what he was trying to convey when he composed it.
. . .anyway, i digress. sorry. this post was only meant to compliment your amazing writing. look forward to hearing more from you soon
 
under skies said:
I feel like I get cravings for music sometimes. Like I have to ... consume it?

I totally get what you're saying, though. I can't eloquently expand.




This may be, like, SUCH a tangent, but I wonder sometimes if it has anything to do with having what they call an "addictive personality." You know, people who over-exert themselves when they go out running often experience a "runner's high" caused by the endorphines released. And you can be addicted to your own endorphines, which, I guess, would also be released when you hear a song that has a really great sound or lyrics that speak to you.

I don't know much about it, but I know there is a type of OCD in which people get either obsessions or compulsions relating to fandoms [including certain types of music/artists], and listening to the music is the only way to satisfy the craving for the endorphines.

/Sorry for my ignorant post. Like I said, I don't know much about it. I only had a conversation about it with my psychologist friend once.
Click to expand...
interesting speculation though, i must say...though i usually dont tend to think of it in a biological, scientific kind of way, very interesting...
 
InnerFlame00 said:
I recently went on a music buying binge, and while listening to it I noticed that I almost get a "high" from good music. Tingles, a rush of the feel good chemicals, ect. It's always been this way with me and good music, I feel as if it reaches inside me and for a few moments altars who and what I am. It goes beyond just simple enjoyment for me, it's much deeper. Listening to powerful music I feel as if I could destroy the world ect. I wondered if perhaps this was an INFJ trait, so do any of you experience this with music?

On the same token I feel as if there is music inside me waiting to get out but I lack the skills.
Click to expand...

I can relate, definitely. Music has always affected me very much. Listening to it as well as playing instruments myself. It moves me very much like you described. I remember I already had that when I was fairly young. But then, I guess I grew up in a pretty 'musical' family. It's also one of the only things that gives me comfort when I need it.
 
Indeed so. :D +1 to everyone!

And let's not talking about lyrics... I am a melody person, but oh am I a sucker for lyrics.
And their way of connecting! the resulting feeling! The resonance! The vocal!

I usually relate to melodies; I can imagine lots of scenes/manga panels/picture just by hearing them, but emotionally, I relate to lyrics.
 
This thread reminds me of a line of lyrics in the song "Eet" by Regina Spektor:
"You ease in your headphones to drown out your mind".
Music is my form of escape. I don't mean escape as in I can be somebody else, but as in I can be myself and it's acceptable. The music doesn't make me feel inadequate, inferior or put me under pressure to be perfect. For a brief moment I forget everything negative that is surrouding my life, I'm not thinking about the things that are troubling me, it's like they no longer exist and it feels so real. Then my attention whore of a cat bites on my earphones and pulls them out or my ears and reality punches me in the face again :P
 
Me? Not so much. I have friends (assorted MBTI types) who listen to a lot of music. I do not....in fact, I generally prefer silence.

I admit, my relationship with music is odd. At one time when I wanted to break up the silence at home I simply grabbed my guitar and got into playing something myself. At the moment I have panned any music w/ lyrics...especially lyrics that I find less than meaningful (which is most). Classical music is it.

I suppose I have as much of an emotional response to music as anybody....I just do not like having my emotions infringed on via music...the music and me are going in different directions right now. Adding lyrics only seems to aggravate things.

That said, I do have many musical artists that I truly love. I know who they are...I just don't listen all the time. It's been quiet at my house all day.
 
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