[Ubiquitous Sloth]

I can I can I can!!!
Addiction is probably the best way to say it.
I can go for a couple days being more happy than normal but it feels unnatural.
I'm not entirely sad...or angry either.
a pure melancholy lump.
After too much time out and about being "happy" I close myself off and go back to my thoughts, listen to music, and embrace the feeling.

[MaxwellMouse]

I understand. It's a wonderful feeling, in fact many others feel inadequate in comparison. I would consider it my most productive emotion.

[kaleidoscope]

As an INFP and being an enneagram 4 wing 5, I can say I absolutely relate.

I find myself reveling in moments on pain, especially emotional. I find nostalgia, melancholy, and a permanent sense of longing absolutely beautiful. I can't explain why that is. Maybe I'm bound to feel like there's something missing. But I firmly believe having everything you want is only going to lead up to depression. I just can't imagine a state where everything is perfect. I guess it's always been this way, which is why I've grown habituated to it. All I know is, I'd much rather experience emotional pain, than the blandness of everyday life that everyone else seems to go through.

[Aelthwyn]

I can't say I can relate to this. It's one of the things that seems typical of INFPs that I've never quite been able to understand. Now, I will say that when I'm in the depths of despair I do notice a kind of strange beauty to that intensity, but it's not something I ever want to keep, it just sort of makes that moment more acceptable.

I've always felt basically happy and content inside, and experience other emotions as just momentary side-notes to the norm. I like being lighthearted and giggly, and peacefull with a sense of hope. I don't enjoy, and try to avoid as much as possible, things that have a sad tone to them, and I can get pretty annoyed with people who write off literature or movies that are happy, or end happily, as being less real or less meaningfull. I don't deny there is real sadness in the world, of course there is, but joy is just as real and profound. Personally I feel that it is better to focus on positive things, not ignoring the bad entirely, but not letting yourself forget the good possibilities, because when you don't belive goodness is possible I think it becomes less likely to actually happen.

However, I do think that liking mellancholly things doesn't necessarily mean that someone needs help or has problems or whatever, as many people assume. I think you can be 'happy' or at least content being melancholly, if that makes sense. :) Perhaps it is just as well that we are not all wearing rose-coloured glasses ;)

[Oh_no_she_DIDNT]

When I want to get in touch with my melancholy side, I turn on Sade. She knows what's up.

[Tread Softly]

It seems that with almost every thread I go through. The more grateful I become of finding this forum.

Yes, I do feel that way and it's nice to see that others understand. For the longest time, it eluded me as to what this feeling should be called. I don't think melancholy is the perfect word for it. When it's good, it's more of a sentimental, bittersweet nostalgic feeling. When I go too deep into it, it becomes a sort of melancholy that won't loosen its grip on me. It was a long time before I realized that I should stick only to the surface of that feeling, as it's too dangerous to venture too close to the abyss you can fall into. And I can never write or be creative in other ways when I'm in other states, melancholy - or something similar - puts me into the mood to make art and meaningful, evocative art at that.

But when it's good, the feeling is so beautiful and fragile. It makes life more lovely to me, more meaningful or deep I suppose. I'm naturally attracted to quiet, melancholic or nostaligic music. Others find it depressing but it is energizing for me and makes me feel a sense of calm that no other sort of music can give me. Perhaps it's because everything related to this feeling possesses qualities usually associated with INFPs (in my head, at least): deep, reflective, sentimental, heavy, and emotional.

[Sily]

I can't say I can relate to this. It's one of the things that seems typical of INFPs that I've never quite been able to understand....

This is me. ↑

[ForsakenMe]

I suppose it's because being melancholy forces you to see things deeper than the average person, and it also makes you more compassionate to the world. And let's be honest: Nothing gains other people's attention on you faster than seeing you depressed. It suddenly provides you emotional support, something that us INFPs have always wanted but couldn't do it in a conventional way. (Going out, being outgoing, talking to strangers, etc.)

[kaleidoscope]

I suppose it's because being melancholy forces you to see things deeper than the average person, and it also makes you more compassionate to the world. And let's be honest: Nothing gains other people's attention on you faster than seeing you depressed. It suddenly provides you emotional support, something that us INFPs have always wanted but couldn't do it in a conventional way. (Going out, being outgoing, talking to strangers, etc.)

I guess this might be an unconscious desire, but I never wanted to share or show this desire for melancholy. Many people, in fact, everyone who knows me thinks I'm the happiest girl alive. I don't let it show, or desire to - except to the select few who see through my smiles. So I don't think that's my objective at all. It might be to those who broadcast it, though.

[theklaz]

I don't think addicted is the right word for me, I'd rather call it prone to melancholy.