The Dark Side Of The INFJ Personality Type

The Minds Journal
3 min readMay 9, 2023

--

The INFJ personality type is often associated with great names like Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and Nelson Mandela. However, there is a dark side to this personality type that is often overlooked. Some INFJs have been known to exhibit negative traits, just like Adolf Hitler and Osama Bin-Laden. Despite their calm exterior, INFJs are filled with a seething mass of emotions and thoughts that can be difficult to understand. In this essay, we will explore the dark side of the INFJ personality type and some of the challenges that INFJs typically struggle with.

The first challenge that INFJs face is dealing with their emotions. Although they may appear calm and collected on the outside, inside they are often overwhelmed by their emotions. They are reserved with their feelings and are afraid to share them for fear of being misunderstood. Even when they do share their feelings, they keep apologizing for it. They need to confide in someone, but they do not want to be criticized or given too much advice.

INFJs can also be stubborn, which can make it difficult for them to accept change. They tend to plan things too far into the future and become restless when things do not go as planned. Accepting reality can take time, but INFJs need to give themselves enough time to settle with the truth so they can move on.

Another challenge that INFJs face is stress. When they are forced to use their Sensing capabilities, they can become annoyed or defensive. They may focus obsessively on external data, become irritable, and overindulge in sensual pleasures like overeating or shopping. Stress can make INFJs take an adversarial attitude toward the outside world, which is a defensive response to feeling like the entire world is spinning out of control.

Conflict can also trigger the dark side of an INFJ’s personality. When their inner values are questioned, they may become extremely harsh and rude. However, when they are wronged, they deal with patience, and even when hurt inside, they try to stay calm. Over time, this negative energy can build up and result in a sudden explosion of anger. INFJs need to learn to speak up when minor offenses occur to prevent these violent outbursts.

INFJs set very high standards for themselves and expect others to do the same. They may expect their loved ones to do things beyond their comfort zone, and meeting these expectations every time is difficult. This can affect them in a negative way, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. When the intimacy fades, INFJs may question the entire foundation of the relationship.

Honesty is important to INFJs, and they may come across as blunt or rude when conveying their thoughts. They love to analyze situations and give advice, but they have a hard time choosing their words carefully. Their intentions are pure, but they tend to focus more on the negative aspects of a situation than the positive.

Finally, INFJs can have a defensive attitude toward people who hurt them. They may feel stress, pain, and depression, and some people may bring them more than they can handle. Although they may forgive these people, they may also distance themselves from them to protect their emotional well-being.

In conclusion, the INFJ personality type has a dark side that is often overlooked. INFJs can be emotionally overwhelmed, stubborn, defensive, and honest to the point of being blunt or rude.

They may struggle with stress, conflict, high expectations, and accepting change. It is important for INFJs to recognize these challenges and work on managing them to avoid falling into negative patterns. They can also benefit from seeking support from trusted friends or professionals to help them cope with their emotions and handle difficult situations.

--

--

The Minds Journal
The Minds Journal

Written by The Minds Journal

Your guide to better mental health and relationships. For more details — https://themindsjournal.com/

No responses yet