Chimpmaster! Thank you for replying! I just happen to know quite a few INTJs and one of my brothers is highly intelligent, although he is Paranoid. One of my brothers has learning disabilities and has Schizophrenia. Three of my grandparents where quite brilliant, sensitive, and creative. My father was brilliant, but never found a great outlet for his gifts, because he held himself back from promotions because of his social phobia. Some of my cousins too, are quite brilliant, and I am a little above average myself. I began to realize that sometimes when people don't understand me, it is because they just don't get it, and I do, and I will just have to be patient when it occurs, and keep my self esteem. I wish I was more balanced in the thinking / feeling part, and then perhaps I would be able to do better with this cognitive therapy stuff.

Hi all, I guess from my knowledge all of the Myers Briggs combinations deal with situtations and life in different ways, and it is possible that some are more likely to suffer from panic than others. I imagine studies would need to be done, and as a large proportion of the medical community doesnt even really believe in myers briggs, i suspect that it may not be high up on the governments research grant lists :) Anyway, Im an INTJ. THe rarest combination apparently. Here is the profile if interested http://www.typelogic.com/intj.html I suspect that introverted people are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, but that is just a speculation based on logic - we are more likely to obsess over things and less likely to express feelings and emotions. It may or may not mean surpress, which is obviously a dirty word in the psychological realm :) Cheers

Well, I'm an ESFJ which basically means I'm a provider and enjoy giving a service etc to others which I think is why I am finding this panic and anxiety so frustrating because I can't be out there doing all the things I so want to do to fulfill me. Interestingly, the profile said that I take criticism very harshly which is where I think alot of my anxiety comes from...I try to please too much and get upset that its not taken in the way I want it to be. I have enjoyed mostly my work in sales and have risen up the scales etc through my hard work, enthusiasm and commitment to the company and that also came out in the test. Unfortunately, because I have this anxiety I am not even able to work at the moment...no wonder I#m depressed.

Hi fellow INFPs, etc...I thought there might be a few of us around! My scores were something like in the 90's in introverted; 80's in intuitive; 50's in feeling , and 20's in perceiving. I believe because I am so extreme in introverted and intuitive; that I often live inside my head; and forget about what is going on around me; such as getting around to house chores, etc. But I love to do deep study. I analyse everything. And I believe that I finally got an idea about my panic situations, which are almost always about social phobia, and fearing that I will blush before it happens. For one thing, I have come to realize that that also is why I have a hard time with cognitive therapy; because you focus internally and deal with things according to how you feel about them. According to the INFP profile, we usually do not understand or believe in the validity of impersonal judgement, and take judgements personally, even if people are not judging us. Most INFP's avoid impersonal analysis, and can throw out fact after fact if we believe something that does not fit the facts. We do not like conflict, and try to avoid it at all costs; which makes us appear irrational and illogical to others in conflict situations. If my values are violated; or value system seems threatened....ie; this person is going to think I'm interested in them if I constantly blush around them, or maybe I am interested in them, which is just as bad; when these thoughts violate my whole value system, it sets me up for an inner conflict, and total confusion, because I live in the world of feelings, not factual logic. Logically no disaster should occur when we are panicking about something, however, we panic irrationally anyway. According to the profile, we need to work on balancing our high ideals with the requirements of every day living. If we cannot resolve the conflict, we cannot really be happy with ourselves and may become confused and paralyzed about what to do with our lives. I guess that is where I am most of the time. But; having said that, INFP's are usually talented writers! Though sometimes it is difficult for me to express myself verbally in social situations; I am a pretty good writer. I have published a book about my family history, an article for a magazine, and quit

This was interesting. I was also scored as an INFP "Healer idealist." My scores were Introverted 100%, Intuitive 11%, Feeling 22%, and Perceiving 22%. Makes you wonder. I think it may have to do with the common trait of hypersensitivity. Highly sensitive people probably have a tendency to be more introverted and more feeling and perceptive. I remember we had noted a while back that a good number of us are highly sensitive.

Hi redface. I too am an INFP, although I sit at the 50/50 mark with being an ENFP. I agree that the personality traits lend themselves beautifully to panic and anxiety on some level. I wonder though, at least in my case, whether my 'type' has changed over the years as a result of anxiety. Just a thought. Thanks for bringing an interesting topic to the table. K

Has anyone taken the Myers-Briggs personality test, and found they are INFP? I would like to know if personality type is connected with panic and anxiety. I suspect it is; as INFP's are usually imaginative,socially withdrawn, shy, intelligent, and highly sensitive. Is anyone here an INFP? You can take the test online, just search for Myers-Briggs test. INFP's are focused internally, deal with things according to how we feel about them, or how they fit into our personal value system. If my personal value system seems violated within myself, I have a panic attack. I become confused, and paralysed. INFPs want to have a perfect marriage, and are really loyal to their mates; but if someone better comes along, they become confused, and shocked at their attraction to another person because it contradics our internal value system. We become confused, paralysed, and panic. Because we are cause oriented, and do not like to deal with hard facts and logic; and do not understand or believe in the validity of impersonal judgement, (ie. cognitive therapy= judging our own thoughts in an unemotional logical way)we avoid impersonal analysis, although some develop this ability and are able to be quite logical. We are also hard on ourselves, perfectionists with high standards, and if we cannot balance our high ideals with requirements of every day living, we cannot be happy with ourselves, and may become confused and paralyzed about what to do with our lives. (That's me. I stopped working when the panic attacks would not end, and now leave the practical aspects of life to my very supportive husband.) We often feel alienated from others, because we are only 1-2% of the population, so we think very differently. Perhaps a large percentage of us with this personality type end up in therapy of some sort, because of our internal search to understand it all. Especially if we have had some terrible experiences in the past. So can anyone out there relate to this? I would also appreciate a comment from the support specialists too!