Growing up, I noticed I was emotionally different from most. It’s been a
long journey of self-discovery and learning how to manage my emotions while
also trying to understand why I am the way I am.
Human inter-relationship has never been one of my strongest aspects. Being
different from others is sure going to lead to misconceptions and opinions from
others. As hard as I tried to make
people understand why I seemed complicated, I too was going through a phase. I
felt unstable, sometimes lost, alone and different.
I kept asking myself - Why was my life so difficult? Why couldn’t it be
as easy and carefree like my peers? My teenage years were so hard and lonely,
trying to understanding myself, trying to define who I am and see exactly where
I fit in. I have lost count of the number of times people have called me odd or weird.
I have read various articles and books on personality types seeking an
understanding of who I am. To a large extent I got clarity on who I am – a
loner, a melancholic to a very large extent, an introvert who suffered from chronic
mood swings and depression (Thankfully those days are behind me). But still, I
still didn’t feel like I had hit the nail on the head in terms of knowing where
I fit in.
After all these years I finally got it when Reward forwarded me a piece
on INFJ’s. It gave me clarity and in
Rewards words…validation for why I am how I am. It made me feel normal knowing there were
actually other persons like me out there even if we account for just about 3%
of the world’s population.
One thing I always had a hard time explaining to people is why all of a
sudden I keep quiet or shut down and stay away from certain persons. People
always tagged it malice, but I knew it wasn’t. Those times when I’d try to argue
with them and let them understand it wasn’t malice, the frustration when they
just couldn’t understand…*sigh
Reading this article made me feel normal ‘cuz it perfectly explains
everything I have always wanted people to understand about me.
It’s my utmost desire that certain persons would read this post and understand
me finally. Hopefully this would go a long way in helping my relationship with
them. Though I know this doesn’t excuse the fact that at times I actually push
people away and cause sabotage….
….
The door slam is when an INFJ suddenly cuts off all contact with
someone. It might be a friend, significant other, co-worker, or family member.
In other words, one day the INFJ is in your life, and the next day, they’re
not. It’s been said that when INFJs get hurt or angry, “they don’t hate
you, they nothing you.” For the INFJ, removing someone from their life
is a self-protective measure to stop the emotional pain.
If you’re an INFJ (or you have an INFJ in your life), here are 7 things
you should know about the INFJ door slam. These may not be true of every INFJ,
but I believe they are generally true:
1. INFJs usually slam the door only as a last resort. If they’ve cut off
contact with someone, it’s because they saw no other way to stop the pain.
INFJs tend to be patient and forgiving of others’ shortcomings — but even they
have their breaking point.
2. When an INFJ cuts off contact, the other person might not realize it
right away. That’s because INFJs tend to slip away quietly. INFJs probably won’t
announce their intention to door slam. (“That’s it, we’re no longer
friends.”) Rather, they’ll simply find ways to spend less time with the other
person; they’ll stop answering their texts or they’ll say no to invitations to
hang out. (Obviously, it’s different if the INFJ is breaking up with a
significant other; in this case, there will have to be a conversation.)
Whenever possible, INFJs prefer to simply disappear, calling as little
attention to their departure as possible.
3. In many cases, the INFJ door slam is justified. INFJs tend to be
“nice” people who listen with empathy, care deeply about others, and have a
strong desire to help. For these reasons, INFJs can attract emotionally
needy friends or partners. INFJs may even find themselves drawn to toxic people,
wanting to help or heal them. After a while, these unbalanced relationships
become draining and damaging, and the INFJ must cut them off to save their
sanity.
4. However, sometimes immature INFJs will door slam without trying to
resolve the root problem first. Instead of talking to the other person about how they feel, INFJs
may bottle up their feelings until they can’t take it anymore, then simply
cut off the offending party. The other person is left not knowing what happened
or what they did wrong. Mature INFJs have learned that no one is perfect and
that they can’t constantly cut people out of their lives — otherwise, there
will eventually be no one left. They learn to be more assertive and stand up
for themselves; they find ways to resolve the root problem so they can maintain
the relationship (if it’s a good one and worth holding onto). They set
boundaries and discover how to interact with others in ways that work for
them. For example, they might say to themselves, “I’ll go to her toddler’s birthday
party, but I’ll only stay for an hour or two, because that’s all I can take.”
Or, “I enjoy chatting with this person at work, but they don’t need to
become a part of my inner circle, and that’s okay.” Most important,
as INFJs mature, they learn to trust their intuition to avoid getting involved
with toxic people in the first place.
5. Post-door slam, INFJs may feel compelled to cleanse their life of
anything that reminds them of the other person. They may delete
photos of the two of them from social media or throw away gifts from the other
person. (No joke, when I broke up with my first boyfriend and wanted him out of
my life for good, I buried a box in my backyard of trinkets and notes he had
given me.) INFJs may feel better after doing some type of ceremony that gives
them closure.
6. They say that when an INFJ slams the door, it can never be opened
again. This may be true in some situations, especially when the INFJ has been
hurt very badly or repeatedly. INFJs are emotional and sensitive, and sometimes
the pain is just too much. Also, INFJs may keep the door closed if they
recognize that the other person is an unhealthy force to have in their life.
But in some situations, the door can be “re-opened.” After some time has
passed, the INFJ’s anger may fade, and they may see the situation with fresh
eyes. If the INFJ and the other person can talk about what happened, there is a
chance that the relationship can be repaired. At this stage, it’s important
that the INFJ is able to speak freely about how the other person’s words or
actions made them feel; in order for healing to begin, INFJs must first get
their feelings out. If the offending person seems to understand the INFJ’s hurt
and regrets what they did, they INFJ will likely forgive them.
7. Above all, to avoid an INFJ door slam, be kind. The words you speak
and the little things you do matter greatly to an INFJ. Also, INFJs need to
feel like their decisions are respected and their emotions are heard. Treat an
INFJ with kindness and respect, and the door will never be slammed.
Culled from introvertdear.com
