# Have you ever been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder?



## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

If you have please answer by choosing your type in the response.


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## Ramysa (Mar 22, 2012)

Nope. Never.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Ramysa said:


> Nope. Never.


Me neither. I have a bit of OCD but it's not so severe that it qualifies for a diagnose, thank God.


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## Mutatio NOmenis (Jun 22, 2009)

INTP and yes. I didn't really have one but they weren't listening. They gave me Zoloft. It wiped out every single drive, emotion, desire, and thought I had for several years.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Mutatio NOmenis said:


> INTP and yes. I didn't really have one but they weren't listening. They gave me Zoloft. It wiped out every single drive, emotion, desire, and thought I had for several years.


I'm sorry to hear that. But not surprised really. It seems like a dubious industry with a "if we can cure it, it's a disease" attitude. And the curing part is also questionable since it often just means shutting someone down.


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## Bipedal P 314 (Dec 10, 2011)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I can't leave the house without taking my Clonazepam in the morning and I can't sleep without taking it at night. I had been taking Seroquel but it had to be stopped because it interacts with my pituitary adenoma.


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## Jennywocky (Aug 7, 2009)

I was diagnosed with both Generalized Depression and Generalized Anxiety. I was on Wellbutrin for the depression, which took the edge off; I dealt with the anxiety more through CBT and making certain life changes. I can still feel very anxious in some situations, but in general I can deal with it now.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

BiPedalP314 said:


> Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I can't leave the house without taking my Clonazepam in the morning and I can't sleep without taking it at night. I had been taking Seroquel but it had to be stopped because it interacts with my pituitary adenoma.


Never heard of pituitary adenoma before. Could it be related to GAD given that the pituitary regulates hormones?


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Jennywocky said:


> I was diagnosed with both Generalized Depression and Generalized Anxiety. I was on Wellbutrin for the depression, which took the edge off; I dealt with the anxiety more through CBT and making certain life changes. I can still feel very anxious in some situations, but in general I can deal with it now.


CBT makes a lot of sense to me. I use some of what I read about it to keep my OCD-like behavior in check and just daily stuff, like calling someone you really don't want to talk, things like that. @Ace Face had a good post about depression by the way: http://personalitycafe.com/advice-center/97048-aces-tips-those-struggling-depression-anxiety.html


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## Steel Magnolia (Apr 10, 2012)

I have generalized anxiety disorder, have suffered a few panic attacks, and used to have on-off OCD (that seems to have gone, but I had it for twelve years). I am an ISTJ.


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## Enkidu (Apr 19, 2010)

I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder about 6 years ago towards the end of college. I suspected I had something like that for a few years beforehand and made an effort to curb it with a lot of exercise i.e. running, cycling, hiking which, for the most part, was very successful. Then, due to unemployment, and a string of class presentations and debates, I realized I couldn't self-moderate anymore. My college counselor put me through about 6 months of cognitive behavioral therapy and taught me some handy mantras for behavior modification (that I still use ocassionally). Overall, I'm glad I didn't have to take any prescription drugs - and very thankful I was directly in control of my self-improvement. While I still slip and hiccup from time to time, my self-confidence has increased and I've learned how to sooth my anxiety and calm bouts of panic.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

That's another benefit with CBT and similar methods, the sense of being in control. I think by taking meds you develop an external locus of control as they say, and become more vulnerable to anxiety and depression, and as a consequence more dependent on the meds.


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## Mulberries (Feb 17, 2011)

Yep, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder. 

I'm a bundle of nerves.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

You know you shouldn't let other people make you nervous. I mean they're looking at funny animal clips on YouTube and the Eurovision Song Contest on TV. I think it helps to think like that even though it doesn't fix the problem altogether.

I also have opera as a way to release nervous energy. Really intense and tragic stuff like Wagner and Verdi. You'd think that would make it worse but I feel much better afterwards.


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## Jennywocky (Aug 7, 2009)

Staffan said:


> That's another benefit with CBT and similar methods, the sense of being in control. I think by taking meds you develop an external locus of control as they say, and become more vulnerable to anxiety and depression, and as a consequence more dependent on the meds.


I dunno if I agree with that.

Usually you shouldn't be going on meds unless you are already disabled enough by the anxiety that you have no other option, and the meds should just take the edge off so that you can learn to do the internal work necessary to live without the meds (if it's not purely a brain chemical imbalance causing the problem). IOW, unless there's a serious imbalance that needs physical remedy, it's just a stopgap measure to help you get through the problem until you can internalize your power and control over your life.

Anxiety can actually partly be a wiring issue, kind of like introversion, from how I see it -- at least some kinds of anxiety.


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## Bipedal P 314 (Dec 10, 2011)

Staffan said:


> Never heard of pituitary adenoma before. Could it be related to GAD given that the pituitary regulates hormones?


It might exacerbate the symptoms but while I've only recently been diagnosed with GAD I've been symptomatic for most of my life. 

A pituitary adenoma is a benign hormone secreting tumor.


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## intrasearching (Jul 15, 2011)

My first psychologist told me there was absolutely nothing wrong with me, that my experiences were within the norm, etc. The next one said I have PTSD and supported the idea of pharmaceutical intervention (disagreed with him). The next one was against the whole over-pathologizing of people and shared my sentiment that, though I was experiencing some anxiety and depression off and on, I was fine and didn't need a label or a prescription. However, one day in discussion I mentioned thinking I had OCD (as I had thought for probably a decade) and he said "Yeah, you seem to have a bit of it." So, I suppose I was "diagnosed" with OCD. 

I have had many panic attacks, but haven't had one in five years (and I feel SO thankful, as I have felt extremely anxious since then and feared impending panic attacks), but most of the time I am just a bit susceptible to anxiety. Most often my anxiety is only mildly unsettling, and I know how to ride emotions now. But I still feel very lucky that my body isn't throwing me the sort of anxiety it did five years ago. I felt extremely anxious early this morning, which was out of the ordinary for me. I am usually pretty relaxed. It was the worst feeling. It finally went away after a couple hours. I hate anxiety, but I am learning to ride it as an ephemeral part of life that demands respect.

Additionally, I'd like to say that I am thankful to have found this thread. Having been shaken up by some bad anxiety this morning (I only slept three hours because of it) it feels comforting to read about your experiences and successes. Makes me feel less hopeless/alone.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Jennywocky said:


> I dunno if I agree with that.
> 
> Usually you shouldn't be going on meds unless you are already disabled enough by the anxiety that you have no other option, and the meds should just take the edge off so that you can learn to do the internal work necessary to live without the meds (if it's not purely a brain chemical imbalance causing the problem). IOW, unless there's a serious imbalance that needs physical remedy, it's just a stopgap measure to help you get through the problem until you can internalize your power and control over your life.
> 
> Anxiety can actually partly be a wiring issue, kind of like introversion, from how I see it -- at least some kinds of anxiety.


Well that's the idea but how often does that happen in real life? I know 10 percent of the population in Sweden is on psychopharmaceuticals and it's been like that for God knows how long. If most people would get off their meds witin 5 years or so it would mean that they would have to be replaced with another 10 percent and they in turn with another 10 percent. This would mean that an overwhelming majority would be diagnosed. According to Wikipedia 46 percent of all Americans "qualifies for a mental illness at some point". But that's an estimate not the actual number of people that gets diagnosed which must be lower.

So it seems like the only possible conclusion is that a smaller group of people get stuck on their pills. Given that external locus has been linked to anxiety and depression it just might be that the pills become an obstacle to complete recovery.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Promethea said:


> When I was much younger, I was diagnosed with Social Anxiety.. but the past couple of diagnoses have been Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and one GP tried to tell me I'm bipolar. I said naw man, I'm just passionate.
> 
> Anyway, I have taken in the past: zoloft, paxil, buspar, celexa, then various benzos. I was addicted to benzos and put myself in w/d cold turkey to get the shit out of my system. It was the worst hell I have ever been through.
> 
> ...


I too agree with Jennywocky on how it should work; I'm just not sure that is how it works in most cases.

Yes, meditation definitely works against anxiety and stress and all sorts of problems. But do you really need to explain exactly how you do it? People probably vary in how they meditate anyhow so an exact description may not be necessary.


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## Jennywocky (Aug 7, 2009)

Staffan said:


> Well that's the idea but how often does that happen in real life? I know 10 percent of the population in Sweden is on psychopharmaceuticals and it's been like that for God knows how long. If most people would get off their meds witin 5 years or so it would mean that they would have to be replaced with another 10 percent and they in turn with another 10 percent. This would mean that an overwhelming majority would be diagnosed. According to Wikipedia 46 percent of all Americans "qualifies for a mental illness at some point". But that's an estimate not the actual number of people that gets diagnosed which must be lower.





Staffan said:


> I too agree with Jennywocky on how it should work; I'm just not sure that is how it works in most cases.


Yeah, while I know how it should work, I am not sure how it works in reality. I hear conflicting stories. My own experience has been really good, with one psychiatrist and two therapists. But I've heard some horror stories as well from the other side of the spectrum. It's hard to tell. Just because there are a number of hacks/quacks out there doesn't mean there are no stellar docs either, but it's a careful balance. 

Psychiatry is an odd kind of treatment profession; unlike routine medicine (or at least to a much more profound degree than medicine), the therapist is not in charge of the real cure, the patient is. Unless the malady is 100% biological, then the patient has to work toward his or her own health and the therapist/psychiatrist can only guide and inform. A doctor can fix your illness with medicine and surgery, a mechanic can fix your car using tools of the trade and replacing parts, but the therapist typically cannot make a patient change.


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## PossibleSarcasm (May 29, 2012)

Staffan said:


> Also, keep in mind that Xanax and similar drugs are addictive and not for long-term use. But your doctor has probably told you that already.


I'm not quite sure why you thought to include that in the post. You even dismiss your own statement in the end. Like you said my doctor has probably told me, actually I greatly research anything that influences my life. So I was well aware of the drug when my doctor suggested it. Also at such a low dosage and frequency there's no real chance of addiction unless you abuse it. 

I guess what I am saying is I'm skeptical of your meaning and have my eye on you ...


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

PossibleSarcasm said:


> I'm not quite sure why you thought to include that in the post. You even dismiss your own statement in the end. Like you said my doctor has probably told me, actually I greatly research anything that influences my life. So I was well aware of the drug when my doctor suggested it. Also at such a low dosage and frequency there's no real chance of addiction unless you abuse it.
> 
> I guess what I am saying is I'm skeptical of your meaning and have my eye on you ...


I'm not exactly dismissing my own statement. It was more like in case your doctor hadn't told you. Just a friendly warning given the nature of benzodiazepines.


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## PossibleSarcasm (May 29, 2012)

I'm going in the medical field and deal directly now with such, so I guess I could not fathom any possible outcome where a doctor would prescribe such a highly addictive drug without providing information and considering the status and state of the patient.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

So what do the results tell us so far? Well, comparing with the unofficial census it turns out that some types are overrepresented and some underrepresented. Although the sample size isn't much yet, I still thought it would be fun to report the standings, starting with the most overrepresented and in descending order,

1. INTP, INFJ both at 2.0 (that is twice as common here as on the site)
3. ISTP 1.6
4. ENTP 1.3
5. INFP, INTJ 1.1
6. ISTJ 0.7 (the first "healthy" type)
7. ENFP 0.6


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Hm.. I double posted. Anyone knows how to delete a post?


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## Varkman (Jun 29, 2012)

Paxil, 20mg. Took me forever to finally accept my doc's suggestions to go on it - you guessed it, I had an anxiety about taking an anti-anxiety drug!

It's nice though. I stil have bad days, but the paxil knocks out a lot of the day-to-day anxiety. I never realized how each time my wife left the house I was sure the next time the phone rang it would be the police saying she'd died in a fiery wreck and what was I going to do with three kids... you get the picture. 

If you picture my anxieties like a gun, the Paxil takes the bullets out. Instead of a bang there's a *click* and I think "Boy, my anxieties would be going NUTS right now".


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

I would also be very reluctant to take any meds; the only drug I use is caffeine (which is probably no good for anxiety). If you don't mind me asking, what particular anxiety disorder do you have?


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## DomNapoleon (Jan 21, 2012)

yes and I am an INFJ. Interesting that is the most voted type.


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## EarthboundMisfit (Jun 10, 2012)

I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety a little more than a year ago, pretty much centered around the job I had at the time in a call center for a major insurance company. I was on Effexor for about 8 months but I got a new job within the company around the same time that significantly improved my stress level. So, I'm not sure what effect the medication had besides that my mom said I didn't act like myself (sort of like a Zombie, she said). I'm actually seeing a therapist again at the moment because of job related stress again but she seems to be more focused on the CBT side of things, so I think that will end up being better for me. I think I just need to learn how to deal with being an INFP in the corporate world better.

I think I also have what I've heard described as an "OCD spectrum disorder." I pick at the skin on the bottoms of my feet (not just dead skin). Not sure if this will go away with the anxiety as I learn to deal with it or not.


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## ImminentThunder (May 15, 2011)

Yes - generalized anxiety, OCD, and social anxiety. 

Not as severe as they used to be, and I don't have to take medication, but they're still annoying. -_-


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

Invalid unless you normalize the results with the ratio of each type on PerC.

Have I had an anxiety disorder: Most definitely.

Have I been diagnosed formally: No.


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## Navi (Jul 8, 2012)

I am a 15 year old INTP and yes. Quite a few, actually.
And I take 40mg of Prozac if that's relevant at all.


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## ibage (May 5, 2012)

Social Anxiety Disorder. I was diagnosed way back in elementary school. I still proceed with my finger hovering over the panic button but for the most part, I've learned to cope with it. However, I refuse to take medication for it. I worry about the side effects far too much.


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## LightningHeart78 (Jun 11, 2012)

INFP and have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It was diagnosed as Social Anxiety Disorder when I was a teen, now it's re-diagnosed as Generalized with moderate depression. :sad: Took Zoloft before, worked for roughly a year and a half, then began shutting me down, couldn't even think about answers to no-brainer questions. :mellow: Now, taking a different med, which makes me feel a bit unfocused at times, but at least my anxiety level has dropped (doesn't do much for depression though). Without it, I'd get tense and become overwhelmed way too easily. :blushed:


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Phoenix_Rebirth said:


> yes and I am an INFJ. Interesting that is the most voted type.


I think I, F and N all contribute in different ways. Some INTPs are probably feelers too.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Spades said:


> Invalid unless you normalize the results with the ratio of each type on PerC.
> 
> Have I had an anxiety disorder: Most definitely.
> 
> Have I been diagnosed formally: No.


I did normalize it using the unofficial census. Just scroll back. Not a spectacular sample size though.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

ibage said:


> Social Anxiety Disorder. I was diagnosed way back in elementary school. I still proceed with my finger hovering over the panic button but for the most part, I've learned to cope with it. However, I refuse to take medication for it. I worry about the side effects far too much.


I would too, given the history of psychiatry. Besides, now there is CBT whichs seems to help many.


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## Navi (Jul 8, 2012)

Staffan said:


> I think I, F and N all contribute in different ways. Some INTPs are probably feelers too.


I doubt it. Anxiety isn't exclusive to feelers. We actually typically struggle with coping with stress. I may get into the dynamics more, later. 
But it starts with our inferior Fe. A lot of us can be confused for feelers. 

"Feeling tends to* be all or none*. When present,* the INTP's concern for others is intense, albeit naive*. *In a crisis, this feeling judgement is often silenced by the emergence of Thinking, who rushes in to avert chaos and destruction*. In the *absence *of a* clear principle*, however, *INTPs have been known to defer judgement and to allow decisions about interpersonal matters to be left hanging lest someone be offended or somehow injured*. INTPs are *at risk of being swept away* by *the shadow in the form of their own strong emotional impulses*."

- http://typelogic.com/intp.html


We pick up emotions and don't know what to do with them (when our inferior function is underdeveloped, of course. A well-rounded person can cope better.), and then there's that Ti-Si loop. 

(I typed in something about this and surprisingly, this guy took the words right out of my mouth.) Anxiety and the INTP

He explains it pretty well. 

We're pretty prone to anxiety, especially when you get too wrapped up in your own contemplation. Happens with us dominant Ti's. 

That being said though, INFPs are also prone to anxiety because of that Fi-Si loop, which is like our Ti-Si loop. 
Like that guy said, it just eats up the whole mental cycle, and there's no buffet left to work with that you need to get out of that loop. And you get "trapped" in it. 

It makes you shut off and whatnot.

Despite our T/F difference, we (INTPs) have a lot in common with INFPs, in that sense. I know Fi and Ti are not the same, but that loop has _that _similar/same effect.

Remember, it's about cognitive functions at the core, not just the letters. We're not that different and we're prone to similar things, just in different ways.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Navi said:


> I doubt it. Anxiety isn't exclusive to feelers. We actually typically struggle with coping with stress. I may get into the dynamics more, later.
> But it starts with our inferior Fe. A lot of us can be confused for feelers.
> 
> "Feeling tends to* be all or none*. When present,* the INTP's concern for others is intense, albeit naive*. *In a crisis, this feeling judgement is often silenced by the emergence of Thinking, who rushes in to avert chaos and destruction*. In the *absence *of a* clear principle*, however, *INTPs have been known to defer judgement and to allow decisions about interpersonal matters to be left hanging lest someone be offended or somehow injured*. INTPs are *at risk of being swept away* by *the shadow in the form of their own strong emotional impulses*."
> ...


Personally I'm skeptical of cognitive functions since there is no empirical support for their existence. There is only evidence for the dichotomies (I/E, S/N, T/F and J/P). (And even that isn't very impressive.) You may be surprised to find that there is no research at all on cognitive functions. It's all just speculation, and has been for over half a century. So I see it more as a dichotomous model.


The reason I say that some INTPs are in fact INFPs is because I get the impression that the MBTI overtypes all minority preferences - I, N, T, P. It seems very easy to be typed as a thinker if you have a decent IQ. I thought I was INTP for some time. Bill Clinton has tested as INTJ probably for the same reason.


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## FiNe SiTe (Dec 11, 2009)

Yes. I've been diagnosed with social and academic avoidance/anxiety.


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## gammagon (Aug 8, 2012)

I haven't been officially diagnosed... But I wouldn't doubt that I have something


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## Entropic (Jun 15, 2012)

Staffan said:


> I have a problem with Academia too, but it's not anxiety. More like annoyance and contempt. I think it was Einstein who pointed out that the only social institution that stood up to the Nazis was the Christian church. The universities, these bastions of Enlightenment, did nothing.


lol no. You know the Catholic Church was supporting the Nazi Empire, right? And a lot of Jewish scientists migrated to Germany in order to continue studying and researching in USA. That research for example led to the development of the atomic bomb. 

way to simplify a complex problem.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

LeaT said:


> lol no. You know the Catholic Church was supporting the Nazi Empire, right? And a lot of Jewish scientists migrated to Germany in order to continue studying and researching in USA. That research for example led to the development of the atomic bomb.
> 
> way to simplify a complex problem.


The church is a diverse institution and it can act in conflicting ways. And "Jewish scientists" is not an institution.


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## Entropic (Jun 15, 2012)

Staffan said:


> The church is a diverse institution and it can act in conflicting ways. And "Jewish scientists" is not an institution.


Yep, missing the point again.


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## Alice_Morgan (Dec 14, 2011)

Yep, social phobia. Fun stuff.
(Not sure which type I am, though. Most likely IxTP.)


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## Master Mind (Aug 15, 2011)

No, I have not.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Alice_Morgan said:


> Yep, social phobia. Fun stuff.
> (Not sure which type I am, though. Most likely IxTP.)


I had a tendency to that as a teenager, but after a while I realized that other people are not that interested in what I'm doing.


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## Eerie (Feb 9, 2011)

Yes, and I've been through years of therapy and medication and that really didn't do much to help it. It's pretty intense and sort of sucks.


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## MrsBrenske (Jun 29, 2012)

Staffan said:


> Yes, not all SPs are sensation seekers. And not all ISTPs are like Clint Eastwood; in real life they often seem nerdy. There's a lot of variation within all types. But on the average, my guess is that SP relates to sensation seeking.


I am a big nerd and I love the recognition of it. I love Harry Potter and math. But I am also very anti social at times. I don't like people. I just kinda talk to everyone but secretly don't really care for people.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

MrsBrenske said:


> I am a big nerd and I love the recognition of it. I love Harry Potter and math. But I am also very anti social at times. I don't like people. I just kinda talk to everyone but secretly don't really care for people.


I often wondered exactly how much empathy aspies and nerds have but it's a sensitive issue and it seem hard to get a truthful answer. I have met a few aspies but I can't tell for sure what they thought of me. I get the feeling that they see me as a curiosity rather than a person sometimes. That said, I can't help but thinking of them as curiosities as well so it goes both ways.


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## Saturn Fox (Sep 5, 2012)

I have been diagnosed with OCD two years ago. Beside that, I was prone to panic attacks when I was 16-17 years old.


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## Michael Nihil (Sep 21, 2012)

Agoraphobia, last year. Suffered years prior to that official diagnosis though. My parents knew I had anxiety issues but they didn't really give a shit about them and ostensibly just thought it was a phase that I'd grow out of. It is currently not near as bad as it once was, which is good. Thinking back on my early teenage years now, I think I can quite accurately pinpoint the time and place of its genesis in my brain.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

FoxJavert said:


> I have been diagnosed with OCD two years ago. Beside that, I was prone to panic attacks when I was 16-17 years old.


I wonder if that relates to your type being more orderly than others. I know there are OCDs who are carefree about things outside their obsessions and compulsions, but it might still contribute.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Michael Nihil said:


> Agoraphobia, last year. Suffered years prior to that official diagnosis though. My parents knew I had anxiety issues but they didn't really give a shit about them and ostensibly just thought it was a phase that I'd grow out of. It is currently not near as bad as it once was, which is good. Thinking back on my early teenage years now, I think I can quite accurately pinpoint the time and place of its genesis in my brain.


Seems like anxiety disorders often start with a certain event. I locked out my cat on the balcony in ten below freezing and ever since that I've had a subclinical OCD. People with social phobia can often trace it to some moment when everyone laughed or stared at them.


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## Alice_Morgan (Dec 14, 2011)

Staffan said:


> I had a tendency to that as a teenager, but after a while I realized that other people are not that interested in what I'm doing.


Do what? It isn't exactly something I can control.


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## Saturn Fox (Sep 5, 2012)

Staffan said:


> I wonder if that relates to your type being more orderly than others. I know there are OCDs who are carefree about things outside their obsessions and compulsions, but it might still contribute.


I don't know. I'm very ordely even outside my obsessions and compulsions, but I also notice the difference between my "sane" neatness and my obsessive one.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Alice_Morgan said:


> Do what? It isn't exactly something I can control.


I used to imagine that everyone was looking at me, but after a while I realized that they weren't. That's all. That realization made me feel less nervous and self-conscious.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

FoxJavert said:


> I don't know. I'm very ordely even outside my obsessions and compulsions, but I also notice the difference between my "sane" neatness and my obsessive one.


It seems most OCDers can see the difference, but couldn't their normal way of thinking affect this even so? I don't know, maybe there is some research on this. There isn't much of that on the MBTI but Conscientiousness seems like a fairly close match to XSTJ. Altough Neuroticism is the more obvious link, but they are not mutually exclusive.


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## Gantz (Sep 24, 2012)

Technically not diagnosed, but I had to drop some highschool subjects because I was having anxiety issues and occasional panic attacks, and I now see someone every couple weeks to help me with basic things like getting a job or getting into my tafe course, because I have difficulty with things outside of philosophy and gaming. - INTP


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Gantz said:


> Technically not diagnosed, but I had to drop some highschool subjects because I was having anxiety issues and occasional panic attacks, and I now see someone every couple weeks to help me with basic things like getting a job or getting into my tafe course, because I have difficulty with things outside of philosophy and gaming. - INTP


I got so obsessed with playing games I gave it up altogether. I guess I was a bit addicted. It seems the INTPs can become a bit detached from reality. I feel similar to INTPs in that way but my F keeps me more in touch with other people.


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## Gantz (Sep 24, 2012)

Staffan said:


> I got so obsessed with playing games I gave it up altogether. I guess I was a bit addicted. It seems the INTPs can become a bit detached from reality. I feel similar to INTPs in that way but my F keeps me more in touch with other people.


Yes, detached would be right, I honestly wish I could just live comfortably and not have to worry about the things around me, from things like the events that happen in the world to having to manage myself. I just want to eat sleep and occupy my time with things I enjoy, but sadly life isn't that easy.


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## MrsBrenske (Jun 29, 2012)

Staffan said:


> I often wondered exactly how much empathy aspies and nerds have I get the feeling that they see me as a curiosity rather than a person sometimes. That said, I can't help but thinking of them as curiosities as well so it goes both ways.


I can be empathetic because I have been through a lot and can relate to what people are going through. I do not tend to be curious about others. I seem to be off in my own world where no one exists but myself most of the time. I seek solitude and vent by writing and music. I am not so much curious of people as I am of the world itself.


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## JoanCrawford (Sep 27, 2012)

Social Anxiety Disorder, Claustraphobia.
I am on medication now and feel a lot better. ;-)


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## Porridgepudge (Sep 27, 2012)

Ptsd.


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## Boo Radley (May 14, 2012)

Social anxiety disorder. I think I'm coping with it more now, but I can never seem to beat those feelings of panic and dread when faced in an unfamiliar social situation.


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## SkyRunner (Jun 30, 2012)

You bet! I have some OCD (more with my thinking pattern), some social anxiety and general anxiety. Don't visit the inner world of my head unless you want to go mad. :tongue:


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

JoanCrawford said:


> Social Anxiety Disorder, Claustraphobia.
> I am on medication now and feel a lot better. ;-)


Which is good I guess, at least for the individual. I would probably be on them too if I felt bad enough. But I can't help thinking: what does all this medication do to our culture? Would Joan Crawford have been as good on meds? I doubt it.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Boo Radley said:


> Social anxiety disorder. I think I'm coping with it more now, but I can never seem to beat those feelings of panic and dread when faced in an unfamiliar social situation.


Have you tried physical exercise? Kills a lot of butterflies.


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## Boo Radley (May 14, 2012)

Staffan said:


> Have you tried physical exercise? Kills a lot of butterflies.



Actually I've been meaning to get into exercise for a while now but it just sucks that I'm totally unmotivated and/or too lazy...procrastination is sadly part of my INFP nature. I'll get round to it one day. :tongue:


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Boo Radley said:


> Actually I've been meaning to get into exercise for a while now but it just sucks that I'm totally unmotivated and/or too lazy...procrastination is sadly part of my INFP nature. I'll get round to it one day. :tongue:


Maybe you should start with something simple, like a walk or something. Just ease in to it and then gradually increase the effort.


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## JoanCrawford (Sep 27, 2012)

Staffan said:


> Which is good I guess, at least for the individual. I would probably be on them too if I felt bad enough. But I can't help thinking: what does all this medication do to our culture? Would Joan Crawford have been as good on meds? I doubt it.


I think Joan was on meds, actually! XD


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

JoanCrawford said:


> I think Joan was on meds, actually! XD


Really? I know she drank a lot but she seems to have been sober on set, except for the latter part of her career. I'll have to look into that.


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## Daerwen (Sep 24, 2012)

Yes, and I struggle every day with it.
They run pretty deep through both sides of my family.


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## chip (Oct 12, 2011)

Holy shit, my fellow infps, we have let our imaginations take over in a horrible negative manner. It's time we find every nostalgic item and memory and drown these negativeness out. I actually assumed infps had most of the anxiety disorders because of our very very vivid imaginations.


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## HyperboreanVoyager (Oct 17, 2012)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder...


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## Liontiger (Jun 2, 2009)

I experience social anxiety, but not to the extent that it's a disorder. I was talking about some of my worries with my girlfriend one day, and she suggested that I might have problems with anxiety, like she does. I googled it out of curiosity, and the wikipedia definition makes perfect sense to me.



> *Social anxiety is anxiety (emotional discomfort, fear, apprehension, or worry) about social situations, interactions with others, and being evaluated or scrutinized by other people [SUP][1][/SUP] that is typically characterized by an intense, ego-driven fear of what others are thinking about them (specifically fear of embarrassment, criticism, rejection, etc.), which results in the individual feeling insecure, and that they are not good enough for other people, resulting in intense fear and anxiety in social situations, and the assumption that peers will automatically reject them in social situations*


As with any disorder, though, the symptoms need to be sever enough that they disrupt your life. And for me, it's something I can deal with, at least at this point. The anxieties I feel about going into a new situation make it difficult for me to be productive full hours before it's going to happen, but it doesn't usually prevent me from doing what I need to do. Although, that last bit about believing people will automatically reject me does make it hard for me to form new connections sometimes.


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## chip (Oct 12, 2011)

I think my anxiety is from having bad health, from years of abusing my body. I wonder how much damage has been done or if I can fix it. I also wonder how many people experience this, or if anyone goes through this sort of thing because of their health.


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## Raichan (Jul 15, 2010)

chip said:


> I think my anxiety is from having bad health, from years of abusing my body. I wonder how much damage has been done or if I can fix it. I also wonder how many people experience this, or if anyone goes through this sort of thing because of their health.


Your post

I am sorry to hear this..I don't want to invalidate your experiences as yours may be different than mine, but just saying on the emotional and psychological side I know what it's like to have bad relationship with the body, and it's such a lonely feeling. I wish at that time people had been more understanding of body hang-ups, eating disorders and at the same time not be so dismissive.

I think in a way it has a contributing factor to my anxiety today, though I'm far more accepting of my body at present, I could still have triggers, etc.


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## Arbiter (Oct 21, 2012)

Nope, but I believe I have it.


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## Doll (Sep 6, 2012)

I have general anxiety disorder, and I've also been diagnosed with "adjustment disorder" but I believe that's something temporary so I'm not sure why it's called a disorder. I just get very overwhelmed, but it's more in a depressed way - even though I have racing thoughts. I've never had a panic attack, though. I've taken a variety of stuff, but found that Xanax works best.

EDIT: I'm INFP. Or INFJ.
@_Raichan_ - Yes. It's hard for people to take you seriously when it comes to eating disorders/self-mutilation/anything damaging someone willingly does to their body. There's a "why would you do that?" reaction that, while honest, hurts and feels very condescending. I could never talk to my mother about things honestly, because I felt like she was judgmental and not sympathetic.
@chip - I never thought that anxiety could stem from that... but it definitely seems possible. They seem to be linked.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

FoxJavert said:


> In January my therapy will focus on my mysophobia. I suspect it's related with control, since I have no problems with giving blood but I cannot stand having dirt on my hands even if for few minutes.


I have a little bit of that, obviously related to OCD, but I'm more the other way around - I can stand dirt for a while but I can't give blood because I fear being contaminated by a dirty needle or some other mishap.

I wonder if mysophobia might be a good thing though. Today people live in close proximity to each other in large cities and travel more than ever. If it wasn't for the population growth and the urbanization HIV would probably have stayed more or less in Africa, maybe only part of it.


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## Saturn Fox (Sep 5, 2012)

Staffan said:


> I wonder if mysophobia might be a good thing though. Today people live in close proximity to each other in large cities and travel more than ever. If it wasn't for the population growth and the urbanization HIV would probably have stayed more or less in Africa, maybe only part of it.


Well, anxiety disorders often stems from useful personality traits gone bad. The importance put on cleanliness, for example, can degenerate in mysophobia.


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## Raichu (Aug 24, 2012)

generalized and social anxiety disorder

when i was 18, i went to see some guy about adhd and like if i had it and about getting diagnosed and stuff. so we're there talking about adhd and whatever, and he was suddenly like "are you nervous right now?" and i was like "uhhh not really? i had a stomach ache driving over here, though," and he's like "uh stomach ache?" and i was like "well yeah because i was nervous" and he was like "of what?" and i was like "oh, you know, just going to a new place and seeing new people. it's not a big deal, it happens all the time at everything. like on the first day of school, or when i have to order food at mcdonalds... you know then i get nervous and my stomach hurts and feels sick," and he was like "um wtf that's not normal" and i was like "oh"

i've been on meds since then, which i'm really glad about. i can actually talk to strangers now without freaking out, which is a really nice thing to be able to do when you're an extrovert. and i still remember when i could finally drive by my old job (where the boss was a dick and yelled at me all the time)(i had that job for six days, and he made me cry at least four times)(seriously he yelled at me for parking on the wrong side of the parking lot once) without panicking and shaking and feeling like i was gonna barf all over the steering wheel. yay milestones! -__-


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## intrasearching (Jul 15, 2011)

Ptsd.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Raichu said:


> generalized and social anxiety disorder
> 
> when i was 18, i went to see some guy about adhd and like if i had it and about getting diagnosed and stuff. so we're there talking about adhd and whatever, and he was suddenly like "are you nervous right now?" and i was like "uhhh not really? i had a stomach ache driving over here, though," and he's like "uh stomach ache?" and i was like "well yeah because i was nervous" and he was like "of what?" and i was like "oh, you know, just going to a new place and seeing new people. it's not a big deal, it happens all the time at everything. like on the first day of school, or when i have to order food at mcdonalds... you know then i get nervous and my stomach hurts and feels sick," and he was like "um wtf that's not normal" and i was like "oh"
> 
> i've been on meds since then, which i'm really glad about. i can actually talk to strangers now without freaking out, which is a really nice thing to be able to do when you're an extrovert. and i still remember when i could finally drive by my old job (where the boss was a dick and yelled at me all the time)(i had that job for six days, and he made me cry at least four times)(seriously he yelled at me for parking on the wrong side of the parking lot once) without panicking and shaking and feeling like i was gonna barf all over the steering wheel. yay milestones! -__-


I thought all you ESTPs were tough guys. I get nervous all the time but I guess that's common for a INFPs.


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## Raichu (Aug 24, 2012)

Staffan said:


> I thought all you ESTPs were tough guys.


Usually I am...  Like, I don't generally see myself as fragile, especially not emotionally fragile, at all. I don't even let my family see me cry if I can help it. I promise, it was completely out of character. I really am tough, I swear. I'm a tough guy. Really I am. :sad:


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## Chell (Dec 25, 2009)

Yeees... as a child at least. I had pyrophobia, and then OCD, the wash-their-hands-all-day kind. Pretty impairing. While depression isn't an anxiety disorder, I had some mood disorder in my teens too (that went formally undiagnosed, but was pointed out by a number of GPs). Ah, I'm generally a very anxious person anyway.
Sadly I can't say what type I am yet but I find it ironic that the three types I've considered myself to be have also voted the most.


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## 0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 (Nov 22, 2009)

No, I've never been diagnosed. Not that I've given any psychologist the chance to do so. A test I took in college said I had social anxiety and I was invited by email to go to the school mental health place, but I didn't because the thought of talking to psychologists about my social anxiety frightened me.


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## HollyGolightly (Aug 8, 2009)

Yeah. Not fun.
*Hugs everyone who also has*


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

Chell said:


> Yeees... as a child at least. I had pyrophobia, and then OCD, the wash-their-hands-all-day kind. Pretty impairing. While depression isn't an anxiety disorder, I had some mood disorder in my teens too (that went formally undiagnosed, but was pointed out by a number of GPs). Ah, I'm generally a very anxious person anyway.
> Sadly I can't say what type I am yet but I find it ironic that the three types I've considered myself to be have also voted the most.


I think all the I N F and P preferences add to this. There are a fair amount of INTPs in the poll but the MBTI overtypes thinkers in my opinion.


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## Saturn Fox (Sep 5, 2012)

The thing I hate the most about OCD is that I _know_ every single moment how irrational and useless it is, yet it's so difficult to resist it. I hate doing irrational things and, even if it's getting better, when I find myself washing my hands too much or spending all that time on a phrase that just won't get out of my head, I feel so shameful and childish.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

FoxJavert said:


> The thing I hate the most about OCD is that I _know_ every single moment how irrational and useless it is, yet it's so difficult to resist it. I hate doing irrational things and, even if it's getting better, when I find myself washing my hands too much or spending all that time on a phrase that just won't get out of my head, I feel so shameful and childish.


I feel that way too. It's distressing when you know you're acting crazy. I can't say I feel childish or ashamed but it freaks me out that I have so little control over my behavior. I'm so glad I only have a mild case of it. Some people have to roll around on the ground outside their house in order to just walk in through the door.


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## telepariah (Jun 20, 2011)

I've not been diagnosed but am pretty certain I have some serious anxiety issues. Some really simple things like calling somebody I don't know (or do know to be perfectly honest), dealing with large social groups, being at the register at work when it gets busy, or just experiencing an unexpected situation, I get paralyzed with anxiety. If it's possible I will just disappear into the background or leave but I try not to do that at work. I am getting a little better at handling it but it does crop up whenever I start feeling out of control or overwhelmed by sensory input. 

I have decided that pharmaceuticals are not for me after watching my mother die a horrible death due to overprescription of everything in the book. I self medicate with herb and I use a lot of my alone time for meditation. But I am putting myself out in social situations because I don't want to retreat from the world. I want to learn to handle it better.


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## Staffan (Nov 15, 2011)

telepariah said:


> I've not been diagnosed but am pretty certain I have some serious anxiety issues. Some really simple things like calling somebody I don't know (or do know to be perfectly honest), dealing with large social groups, being at the register at work when it gets busy, or just experiencing an unexpected situation, I get paralyzed with anxiety. If it's possible I will just disappear into the background or leave but I try not to do that at work. I am getting a little better at handling it but it does crop up whenever I start feeling out of control or overwhelmed by sensory input.
> 
> I have decided that pharmaceuticals are not for me after watching my mother die a horrible death due to overprescription of everything in the book. I self medicate with herb and I use a lot of my alone time for meditation. But I am putting myself out in social situations because I don't want to retreat from the world. I want to learn to handle it better.


Sounds like social phobia. I'm not into meds either although in some cases I think it probably for the best. And like I said before, physical exercise is a great way to kill off some of those butterflies in your stomach.


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## cheburashka (Jan 4, 2013)

i was diagnosed two years ago with depression and anxiety. the depression was easy to wipe out, and after 1 mishap i was given the correct medication. we've had to raise the dosage once in a while as i've built up immunity, but the amount i have now is pretty solid and the depression itself has not turned up again recently. as for anxiety, i'm fairly certain i've had it for my whole life but i was only just diagnosed for it, and i have emergency medication for anxiety attacks and the depression medication at this dosage can also serve the anxiety disorder. 
i think both of them are a lot better today, but i'm still dealing with effects of the social anxiety etc that i'm working to get better with!!


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## RainyAutumnTwilight (Sep 28, 2012)

Clinically diagnosed OCD


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## eilonwe (Mar 10, 2014)

SAD and GAD. I can't tell whether INFPs are more inclined to have anxiety, or they're just more likely to join the forum :/


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