[twiezel]

1) Have you, ISFJ, ever identified with the polar opposite?

i have identified with being emotionless, distant, almost sociopathic since a young age. it doesn't mean that i actually was, but just that it's what i thought i was. it is partly temperament (i am a loner), and partly a defense mechanism. recently i've reclaimed my more connected, warmer self, but from all the years being isolated i still have trouble being connected to my emotions at times. i've tested consistently as ISFJ, and the profile reads right to me.

i have tried to be ruthlessly logical (i thought i could be), but it didn't really help me much.

2) Are you attracted to INTJ, INFJ's?

it could be my upbringing, but i often strive to be logical. i am attracted to INTJ's and INFJ's. I don't want to be them, but I think the combination of ISFJ (at least my "altered" one) and INTJ/INFJ is complementary. perhaps i'm just trying to deny my emotional self, but i find myself surrounded with these types. I bond deeply with ISFJ's, but it's rare. i can get exasperated by emotionality in others.



3) when ISFJ's go bad

i might be the example of what can happen if an ISFJ denies their emotions. thoughts?

[mickyj300x]

Well, as an INTP, I might add that my best friend is an ISFJ. It works well; I provide logical, objective analysis (as well as a healthy dose of snark), and he, in turn, acts as an emotional translator for me.
Just my 2 cents.

[Tanigi]

1) Have you, ISFJ, ever identified with the polar opposite?

I've definitely identified with being distant, cold, primarily logical, etc., which is why I thought I was an ISTJ until a little while ago. After thinking about it, however, I realized that the aloofness was mostly just because I have always been a very shy person, and the high preference for logic is largely due to a recent, intensely mentally stressful period in my life, which made me extremely wary of trusting my emotions unless I understand them. I'm still dealing with the emotional stuff, but recently I've made an effort to be friendly and cheerful toward people, and I've actually been surprised by how easy it is.

2) Are you attracted to INTJ, INFJ's?

I'm really not sure... I'm pretty bad at typing people in real life. In theory, though, I think I could be attracted to just about any type.

3) when ISFJ's go bad

Hmm... again, I'm not sure. Like I said, I'm having some issues with understanding and validating my own emotions right now, so I probably don't have a clear view of the issue. But I definitely think that ISFJ's are quite capable of closing themselves off from their emotions as a defense mechanism. Aren't all types?