# Solitary Extroverts, or Surrounded by Introverts?



## lookslikeiwin (May 6, 2014)

I have a theory that ENTxs are more likely to appear introverted than other Es. Not that they _will_, necessarily, but they _can_.

I'm trying to determine if the other NTs I know (my NTJ husband and NTP brother) are solitary Es or if I'm just surrounded by introverts, aside from my mom and a bestie I almost never see. I've realized if I try to describe my debate, I'm just wasting your time and space on this post, because it won't really help me type them properly  I *think* they are both solitary Es, but I'm posting this because I'm trying to figure it out. No other reason to even have this paragraph (sorry). Essentially, I'd like to see if my theory first mentioned seems sound.

I'm also wondering, if maybe someone could have more or less balanced their dominant and auxiliary functions. For example, maybe my brother balanced his Ti and Ne, so he's kind of an xNTP and therefore an ambivert. That would mean his Ti and Ne are balanced, as would be his Si and Fe, and so on.

So, please answer the following:
1) What's your type?
2) Do you think someone can have balanced auxiliary and dominant functions?
3) How solitary are you? Any factors that could affect this? (HSP, illness, etc)


*Me*
I'm an HSP INTP and I stay in most chances I get. I do like leaving every so often, but under normal circumstances, I'd rather stay home. I get overwhelmed by the idea of having more than one thing scheduled over the weekend (like this weekend! T_T). I prefer socializing online to talking in person most of the time, and when I do socialize, I'd rather it be one-on-one, with a topic I'm already interested in. I think I'd be pretty solid if I left the house for only 20-30 hours a week, assuming it is fairly evenly spread out


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## EMWUZX (Oct 2, 2014)

1. I'm an ENTJ that thought I was an introvert up until I started studying the functions and how they work. It actually explained a lot of my prior self destructive behavior...

2. Yes, I don't see why not. That doesn't happen to me personally, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility. Although I feel like this could cause frequent personality shifts... Maybe not though. This is a total guess by the way.

3. Very. A lot of things led to me severing my ENTIRE social circle. This is not an exaggeration, and yes, I had to do it. I also recently severed half of my family from my life, and deleted my Facebook account. Out with the old (the terrible, terrible old) and in with the new (the very lonely new). 

I've built up a fair number of coping mechanisms through "playing the introvert" for a few years. I find other ways to get external stimulation, etc. I guess that I've kind of turned myself into an ambivert.

The only reason that I haven't rejuvenated a social circle is because it's not a priority (school is a priority), and I'm not a "go out and do things" or "stay in and play video-games" type of person, as most young college students are. I also don't have a driver's license.


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## lookslikeiwin (May 6, 2014)

Ah yes, that sounds very similar to my husband. He never cut anyone off, but I know he would. That'd be so hard for an Fe user XD My husband never got into going out and doing things or playing a bunch of games either. He did on occasion though. I actually stayed in and watched TV shows all through college. I didn't make any close friends until I met my husband, who was making videos with a few other people, but he's kind of lost touch with them and nearly cut them off himself. 

I think I'm coming to the conclusion they're all extroverts, because it makes the most sense functionally. It's just funny, because my brother (ENTP) and my husband (ENTJ) really only hang out with each other. I think my husband is a little more obviously an ENTJ, though sometimes it seems like he has overdeveloped feelings, but his mother is an ESFJ so he's used to dealing with that. He's just more sensitive than he should be, and his Se has been slacking off as of late. But his Te seems stronger than his Ni - then again, I don't understand Ni.

Either way, my husband goes out more often than I do by far, and my brother doesn't go out a whole lot more, but he's still very Ne-ish.

I'm pretty sure there was another person I was debating on. Oh well. Anyway, it is good to know I'm not crazy 

Do you mind me asking what was so terrible? Sorry, INTP. I'm curious.


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## EMWUZX (Oct 2, 2014)

lookslikeiwin said:


> Do you mind me asking what was so terrible? Sorry, INTP. I'm curious.


Nah, I don't mind.

I used to be pretty heavily into drug culture, and my large social circle revolved solely around that. It was mostly just weed, but I also dabbled with amphetamines, etc. We also stole things: quite a bit of money, some items, lighters...

My family didn't bother to stop me because this is the norm. Most of my family is heavily addicted to pain pills, and my mom used to do benzos (did so through most of my deprived childhood). My mom finally went through recovery, which was necessary for me to get off of drugs and get away from a crime filled life. The rest of the family hasn't.

I only was able to break away because I got caught at school with some weed, which got me on probation. The probation came with mandatory, intensive, three time a week therapy, along with a weekly visit from the drug counselor and 150 hours of community service.This kept me squeaky clean for the most part, and the therapy saved me and my mom's relationship.

My old friends still all do drugs, and my family is still really screwed up. My aunt is a hoarder who just recently started living on her own (she's 62). My cousin is a criminal that smuggles reptiles out of the US illegally. My other aunt is (actually) a narcissistic hypochondriac and my grandmother feeds all of this just to maintain what she sees as order (ISFJ).

My mom is fine now as stated prior, but I screwed up my high-school attendance so much that I had to drop out just to graduate before I turned 20. I got my GED and I'm going to community college, but I don't have any of my old friends anymore (for the better) and my only family is my mom (again, for the better). 

That's the short version, and, to be honest, that follows about the same beat as the rest of my life. Things are definitely looking up though.


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## adultchildofalieninvaders (Aug 29, 2014)

1) What's your type? ENTP.

2) Do you think someone can have balanced auxiliary and dominant functions? OK, you discuss balancing the dominant and auxiliary function here. Personally, it's my impression I use my Ne more than Ti especially in a social context, but I wouldn't say that my Ti is weak by any means. Context matters hugely. And I think of myself as an extrovert because discussing things out loud is largely how I make sense of the world, yet any extroversion/introversion/ambiversion test I've taken has typically placed me smack down in the middle of the scale or ever so slightly towards the extrovert end of ambivert. (Interestingly my introverted husband scores only slightly lower than I do.)

3) How solitary are you? Any factors that could affect this? (HSP, illness, etc) Somewhat solitary, work from home for the most part. I don't need to have company all the time, but I notice I need to get some socialising in on occasion or I become too withdrawn. My husband (INFJ) spends about as much time getting out of the house and meeting people as I do to be honest, but I find I'm somewhat more likely to want to talk... and talk... and talk... with him when something interesting comes up.


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## lookslikeiwin (May 6, 2014)

adultchildofalieninvaders said:


> 3) How solitary are you? Any factors that could affect this? (HSP, illness, etc) Somewhat solitary, work from home for the most part. I don't need to have company all the time, but I notice I need to get some socialising in on occasion or I become too withdrawn. My husband (INFJ) spends about as much time getting out of the house and meeting people as I do to be honest, but I find I'm somewhat more likely to want to talk... and talk... and talk... with him when something interesting comes up.


Haha, my dad is an ISFJ, and my mother is an ENTP, and their relationship is a lot like that XD Some of that might just be a girl thing. I also ramble more than my husband. Or maybe its an Ne thing. He'll talk about stuff, but I change topics every few minutes. He doesn't seem to change topics as quickly. Thanks for your reply!



EMWUZX said:


> That's the short version, and, to be honest, that follows about the same beat as the rest of my life. Things are definitely looking up though.


Damn, that sounds rough. Props to you for being able to move forward, for sure. I am always curious to ask about this stuff because I like to write stories and the characters usually go through such things, but I never have much to say since I never experienced the same thing, so after I get an answer, I cause the awkward pause :[ sorry.

I've never been interested in taking drugs at all, but for some reason they're a major part of a few of my stories. I did some research into amphetamines and I know a little about pot, but no personal experience of course. I'll actually have to research pot a little more since I'm pretty sure in one story a character would prefer depressants over stimulants. Anyway, sorry. You probably don't care, but that was all my inferior feelings could think to add haha

Thanks for explaining to me though! I hate unanswered mysteries  

P.S. Sorry it took me forever to get back to reply to you. Bad week.


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