For the introverted INFJ personality type, who is not only prone to overthinking but
also self-criticism and perfectionism, feelings of temporary anxiety are nothing new. However,
when it comes to burnout, unhealed trauma, and toxic relationships, INFJs can experience more
anxiety than normal. Ironically, with a secondary extraverted feeling function,
sometimes it’s difficult to pinpoint whether or not it’s the anxiety they’re familiar with.
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Number 1: Uncharacteristic negative reactions
Coming off a little aggressive or over dramatic when something doesn’t go their way is not only
far from who the INFJ is as a person, but it’s also far from anyone an INFJ would ever be
associated with. However, to their surprise, when there are feelings of extreme anxiety involved,
they themselves can end up experiencing serious irritability and other negative emotions. When it
comes to toxic connections or perceived failures, it’s about the only time an INFJ who is under the
influence of heightened anxiety will react out of character. And these dramatic reactions are
just representations of the reactions going on internally, even at the subconscious level.
Failures and chaotic relationships definitely affect the INFJ mentally and emotionally,
but with hidden anxiety, even the smallest things seem like the last straw.The worst
part of it all for this conflict-avoidant type is that big reactions can cause simple
situations to become bigger than they should have, increasing anxiety and emotions along the way.
Under immense anxiety, overwhelming reactions usually escape the INFJ without even realizing,
making them feel embarrassed and foreign to themselves.
Number 2: Zoning out & not being able to recall why
Zoning out and drifting off into their imaginative abyss of a mind is something every INFJ
experiences, naturally. Whether they’re sitting back and enjoying a daydream, thinking up some
of their classic future projections, or worrying about those future projections, INFJs need their
zone-out time to properly sort through and analyze their thoughts. However, when an INFJ is shaken
back to reality, they’re usually pretty good at knowing exactly what they were drifting off about.
When it comes to increased anxiety and feelings of uneasiness, it’s a little different. In fact,
when INFJs are experiencing an influx of anxious thoughts, sometimes they’ll drift
off only to find they’re in blankness. Their imaginative powers have vanished and they’re
either faced with the exact reason they're feeling anxious, or complete nothingness. The ironic thing
is that most of the time, they don’t realize they were drifting off into nothingness until
they come back and can’t recall a single thought process they just had. Not only is
this blankness rather annoying, but an influx of anxiety can also make these moments happen more
often making them super distracting in an INFJs normal day to day life. Which brings us to..
Number 3: Overthinking becomes seriously distracting
Whether the INFJ is facing feeling anxious about something in particular or they’re
not exactly sure where this increased anxiety is coming from, overthinking is an absolutely
sure way to tell if it’s time to chill out. The tricky thing is that, like zoning out,
INFJs are prone to overthinking as a natural tendency. So, the mark of differentiation may
be different for each person with this personality type. Nonetheless, things to
keep in mind would be finding it difficult or literally impossible to concentrate at work,
in class, in conversations, and driving.. Or when people around the INFJ begin to
realize they’re not as attentive in their listening skills as usual. These tell-tale
signs let the INFJ know that there is something tugging at their attention span, and luckily,
these distractions can eventually draw their intuitive attention to the source of the anxiety.
4: Even calculated risks seem too risky
Depending on the day, life and all the decision-making that is required can already
seem overwhelming for the INFJ personality type. Yet, when an INFJ is strung up on subconscious
feelings of angst and anxiety, every decision seems like a risk to take. Sure, this personality
type is notorious for weighing up their options, but when they begin assuming things won’t work,
that’s when you know they may be feeling a little more anxious than usual. Whether it’s due to fear
of failure, disappointing others, or not living up to their own expectations, taking risks requires
self-confidence and when INFJs are under mental pressure, their confidence begins to deplete
little by little. In fact, it’s not only this personality type that experiences this. According
to psychologist Dr. Joan Rosenburg, the concern with taking risks for anyone with heightened
anxiety is that they are avoiding feelings of not only failure, but also embarrassment,
judgment, disappointment, and frustration - all in which can be extremely overwhelming to process.
Number 5: Critical judgment of others
When the INFJ is experiencing intensified anxiety, not only
can it result in immense critical judgment towards oneself, but also those around them.
With the previously mentioned irritability and hesitancy to take risks, the anxious INFJ begins
to nervously question if they care for doing the best for themselves. Their anxiety begins
to leak into their empathy and their need to help others until they are in this confusing
place where they genuinely think they’re helping others but critiquing their lives. This deep
anxiousness and insecurity can cause them to be critical of other people’s lives and decisions,
even when there's really nothing to be critical about. For example, if an INFJ’s best friend was
entering a new relationship with someone that gave the INFJ bad vibes with no real rhyme or reason,
they may feel like it’s their moral obligation to talk their friend out of the connection
when really, it’s a possibility that their feelings are a result of their anxiety at play.
Number 6: Feeling behind and rushed
Efficient planners with a normally punctual reputation, it’s unlike the INFJ personality
to show up late or behind schedule. Sure, they may frantically reach their
obligations and expected appearances on time sometimes but when an INFJ is feeling rushed,
overwhelmed and behind in even the simplest of outings, anxiety is certainly in the mix.
Whether it’s finding an outfit, contemplating backing out at the last minute, feeling caught
up with some other obligation or a combination of all 3, anxiety can come in waves, with some
days being better than others. And much like depression, on the bad days, any commitment
can feel overwhelming and not worth it. This is especially true if it becomes more comfortable
for this introvert to avoid friends, family and work in order to stay at home with their anxiety.
Number 7: Heavily relying on structure and order
Since the smallest things can pull the stability from underneath an INFJ when
they’re feeling unlike themselves due to anxiety, they heavily rely on structure and order to get
through their days and weeks. This external order provides them a sense of calm and connectedness
amongst the chaotic disorder that is happening in their heads. In fact, as an extroverted feeler,
it’s normal for the INFJ to begin reaching outside of themselves for something to cling onto
inorder to ground themselves in times of emotional instability. And when that ‘something’ also gives
this analytical type that sense of stability and order they naturally crave, it can become a habit
that allows them to avoid the real issues they’re facing. This structure can also play a part in the
way the INFJ organizes their surroundings. If they’re experiencing uncharacteristic reactions
to things being out of place or if plans don’t go as originally scheduled, it may also be a
sign of heightened anxiety. Structure and order are certainly among the INFJ’s preferred ways
of going about things in life, but when it takes a toll on their stability, it’s not really them.
Number 8: The need for serious control
Similar to structure and order, there's nothing that quite soothes the INFJ’s over-flowing
feelings of anxiety like grasping on something to control. Something in every area of their life,
that is.. Sudden bouts of control such as micromanaging at work or helicopter parenting
may be necessary at times but controlling aspects of life that are best left alone
can be seriously exhausting for the INFJ. And not to mention, rather annoying for the people
being controlled. The reasoning behind this sense of control stems from the need for structure in
outer circumstances to counteract the conscious or unconscious chaos in their head. However,
with perfectionism at hand, they can end up setting standards so far out of reach that
they’re bound to experience a sense of failure and even more anxiety when they finally realize
they’re not reaching goals as intended. Not only does this perfectionist control cause unnecessary
stress and panic, but it also comes with an emotional side of feeling inadequate and even
incapable. Feelings that are much more difficult to process through already-occurring anxiousness.
Well PSYCH-Os, that’s it for today’s video.. So, have you ever experienced these signs of
heightened anxiety as an INFJ? Let us know in the comments below. Also, make sure to leave us
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