[moira]

overly emotional. I know that is regularly said of us INFPs but to what extent is it true. Please share moments in which you have reacted in a way that you feel was "over the top" but infact just in you nature.


I cry when:

-I get "lost" and no one wants to help
-no one calls for my b-day even though I tell myself it is just another day
- I realize that my personality might be be a hinderance to my progression

 

[Angel1412kaitou]

Hmm. I often cry when nobody is around, but that was a long time ago.
My parents would fight, and I would pretty much break down if it gets really bad.
PMSing- HOLY CRAP, don't even mention it! :tongue:
When I was a lot younger, I would try to persuade my mom to divorce, but that wasn't emotional I think?
I have random bouts of paranoia.
Otherwise, I'm quite calm and easygoing.
In fact, although I consider myself overemotional and pessimistic, my friends all view me as an ENFJ or ENFP, because I would hate letting them have the burden of my problems.
So yeah, I'm not quite overemotional as in out of control of my mind, but more as in I make decisions based on what would be better in the long run, for me, and my emotions?

 

[Hammerhand]

I'm really random in the way i react to things, I guess it's down to context, and how I felt before.

I can be extremely emotional, to the point of completely losing it, be it happiness making me completely blind of all problems and traps, be it sadness, making me turn a blind eye on all the joyful things in life, be it hate, clouding my vision and poisoning my mind, be it love, hiding anothers bad sides making me suffer later feeling betrayed.

At times i can flare up to anger quickly, but never over a certain limit (because i constantly vent it while it builds up/is fueled by whoever is angering me (I prefer doing that instead of letting it accumulate, otherwise it gets ugly).

The one thing that has saved me though is music, i (ab)use it to heighten certain feelings, transform them, or to dampen them.

Overall, we are emotional people, there is nothing wrong with it, it's who we are, but it's also our responsibility to try to keep it on some kind of leash, at least that's how I see it.

To summarize: BALANCE & MANAGEMENT IS KEY

 

[Lad]

overly emotional. I know that is regularly said of us INFPs but to what extent is it true. Please share moments in which you have reacted in a way that you feel was "over the top" but infact just in you nature.


I cry when:

-I get "lost" and no one wants to help
-no one calls for my b-day even though I tell myself it is just another day
- I realize that my personality might be be a hinderance to my progression

Lots of people would comfort you if they knew you needed it. I can tell there's a ton of strangers on here that would give you a hug without knowing anything about you. I felt bad just reading that.

No birthday wishes? If you don't think i'm crazy, or you do and you like it, post up your birthday and I'll give you a ring. Then again, I'd probably need your number too.

Personality a hindrance? Hard to say because I don't know enough, I do know that there is a benefit to every type of personality though. It's just all about finding out how to use it to meet your needs .

edit: and I'm rarely overly emotional, as least in the negative sense. I'm anti-stress as I believe it's like a disease that eats away at you. That's just speaking philosophically, biologically it's true too. With that said, I have a vulnerability when it comes to my own family (boohoo story) so I'm sensitive to them, but I can tune it out. Nothing else really phases me.

Outside of that, I can get overly emotional in romantic relationships though. I can care about someone with all my heart.

 

[Bright Laughter]

-I get "lost" and no one wants to help
-no one calls for my b-day even though I tell myself it is just another day

The thing about these two for me, I'm sure people *would* call or be there for these things if I made a big stink about it...but the point being that you want someone who would do these things for you without you having to make a big stink about it. I cry about things like this because these are things you do for others without thinking twice about it...but when you see that there isn't anyone in your own world who would do that for you...well it brings in a new level of feeling alone.

Except, one of the times I cried so hard I couldn't breath, is when I was absolutely falling apart and needed help and I did call out to the people in my life (including my family...mom, brother, etc.) and still nobody came. Not even moral support on the phone. Just...dead silence.

That was a few years ago and I've come a long way since- but my over emotionalness?

I cannot watch, read, hear about the news of the outside world. Can. Not. Not a choice here, it's a survival thing for me. I feel it so acutely that I am a MESS after an hour of local news. After I disappear into my bedroom of course, I do my best to not do it in front of my teenage son because...well...he's got enough going on in emotional teenville.

But I mean full out bawling, scrunched in a ball, body cramping, sick to stomach. I know this is over the top. I know it. But I spent 30 years trying to squelch the hell out of it, & well...that about destroyed me too. I'm just thinking that one day I'll understand why I'm like that - and until then I accept it's a part of how I am. :wink:

 

[The King Of Dreams]

I think INFP's are awesome. One of my friends is an INFP. He's really humble, a great dresser, and good to talk to. Sometimes I wish I could talk to him more. He's really cool.

 

[ramenlord]

I get overly emotional is all sorts of situations, positive and negative. Most recently I saw a youtube video of absolutely gigantic bubbles being made on a beach, with children playing with them. It provoked such a strong feeling of awe and wonder and joy in me that I got completely overwhelmed with emotion and started crying.

Some of the worst are dealing with my boyfriend, before I properly explained to him how my emotions work. He's the type that when there's a issue, he wants to deal with it immediately. When we fight (which is very rare) I can get easily overwhelmed and my brain shuts down because I can't handle any more emotional stimuli. I have to go away and be by myself for a while, and calm down. Go hide under the covers in bed, maybe cry a little if I'm really upset. But once I'm able to process that emotion I can come out and talk rationally. He didn't understand that at first and would follow me, and then I'd say things I didn't mean because I was in an awful emotional state. But now that he understands how I work, it's all good.

I don't think it's a bad thing that we can have such strong emotional responses. It just is. For me I've accepted it and just warn people as appropriate. And I don't do it in a negative way, "You better watch out, sometimes I get all crazy emotional and you should steer clear," but in a positive way, "I have very deep emotions and want to share with you the intensity and depth of my positive ones, but I prefer to be alone to process my negative ones but I might ask for your support."

 

[Wulfyn]

A lot of these comments are very familiar to me. I get way too emotional over things.


I too feel that my personality is a major hindrance to my career progression. Everyone seems to be playing a game, doing the networking thing, and stabbing those around them to get ahead (hey if you can;t make yourself look good make everyone else look bad, right?!). I just can't do these things, it's totally against my nature. I've had so many senior managers where I work tell me to grow up and stop wasting my time. But it's against my idealistic nature to do these things because I want to progress based upon my relevant abilities and not upon brown nosing my way there. I get so frustrated to see people get ahead of me simply because they suck up to someone high up in the company, but I just can't bring myself to do it - I couldn't live with myself.

Outside of that, I can get overly emotional in romantic relationships though. I can care about someone with all my heart.

I too am like this. It's one of the things I genuinely hate about myself - the way that I cannot put up any barriers to protect myself.

 

[starflower]

Except, one of the times I cried so hard I couldn't breath, is when I was absolutely falling apart and needed help and I did call out to the people in my life (including my family...mom, brother, etc.) and still nobody came. Not even moral support on the phone. Just...dead silence.

But I mean full out bawling, scrunched in a ball, body cramping, sick to stomach. I know this is over the top. I know it. But I spent 30 years trying to squelch the hell out of it, & well...that about destroyed me too. I'm just thinking that one day I'll understand why I'm like that - and until then I accept it's a part of how I am. :wink:

I went through this a few months ago. It took all my strength and courage to reach out for help - and no one would be there for me. It made it so much worse. Then I found PerC - specifically the INFP forum - and found support here I could never find anywhere else.

Yes, I am overly emotional. My special one has seen some of my drama - though I do my best to keep as much of it to myself as possible. She just thinks I'm bipolar... Being around her (when she's attentive to me) makes me so happy - so high. But she's the only one I trust with my pain - and not so much anymore. I have cried in her arms a couple of times. Really hard. I don't do that anymore. I think I annoy her too much.

When I'm alone, I am free to be me. Emotions and all. I will cry for an hour, until I cry myself to sleep. Or I will sing and dance and feel as if I am floating, flying. I wish I had more trust and support. *sigh*

 

[yay4tcu]

I get overly emotional if someone that I am in a relationship with constantly acts aloof and distant. I also get emotional if someone is harshly critical of me - I tend to take those comments very personally.

 

[Bright Laughter]

I don't think it's a bad thing that we can have such strong emotional responses. It just is. For me I've accepted it and just warn people as appropriate. And I don't do it in a negative way, "You better watch out, sometimes I get all crazy emotional and you should steer clear," but in a positive way, "I have very deep emotions and want to share with you the intensity and depth of my positive ones, but I prefer to be alone to process my negative ones but I might ask for your support."

That's an awesome way to describe it to someone, super cool. Thanks roud:

 

[ramenlord]

That's an awesome way to describe it to someone, super cool. Thanks roud:

No problem, glad I could help

 

[Riy]

This usually triggers my Annoyance and anger most commonly, Small things which can bug the hell outta me and I get the "you're over reacting what's your problem?" which often makes it worse.

I sometimes get strong feel of sadness when people I love and care about are in harm/pain or animals.

Of course lots of other things trigger my emotions to explode big but can't think of much right now. :mellow:

 

[refugee]

I went through this a few months ago. It took all my strength and courage to reach out for help - and no one would be there for me. It made it so much worse. Then I found PerC - specifically the INFP forum - and found support here I could never find anywhere else.

Yes, I am overly emotional. My special one has seen some of my drama - though I do my best to keep as much of it to myself as possible. She just thinks I'm bipolar... Being around her (when she's attentive to me) makes me so happy - so high. But she's the only one I trust with my pain - and not so much anymore. I have cried in her arms a couple of times. Really hard. I don't do that anymore. I think I annoy her too much.

When I'm alone, I am free to be me. Emotions and all. I will cry for an hour, until I cry myself to sleep. Or I will sing and dance and feel as if I am floating, flying. I wish I had more trust and support. *sigh*

it's tougher for guys to cry because we're taught that it's not manly. I often think that if I had a shoulder to cry on, I would, a lot. hahaha. hmm... it's too bad I can't be as stoic as my dad.

 

[Stallout]

I cry sometimes when somebody is incredibly disappointed or angry with me and I have nothing left to say or do about it... I cant stand the feeling of letting others down, especially when it was completely accidental...

 

[Azure Bass]

When I'm late to work, I get extremely angry with myself and work harder to redeem myself to myself.

I feel shameful if I don't help shape a situation from being better than it could have been.

When something feels unbearable to me, I see white noise growing inside and I often blank out for a small moment when this happens. My more intellectual friends that I level with think I'm ready to blow a casket, heh.

edit: forgot a statement.

 

[Hammerhand]

When I'm late to work, I get extremely angry with myself and work harder to redeem myself to myself.

I feel shameful if I don't help shape a situation from being better than it could have been.

When something feels unbearable to me, I see white noise growing inside and I often blank out for a small moment when this happens. My more intellectual friends that I level with think I'm ready to blow a casket, heh.

edit: forgot a statement.

You seem to try your best, which goes a long way in my bookroud:

 

[yay4tcu]

I cry sometimes when somebody is incredibly disappointed or angry with me and I have nothing left to say or do about it... I cant stand the feeling of letting others down, especially when it was completely accidental...

That is something that happens to me way more often than I would like it to. I always encountered this situation with my ex-boyfriend; I would unintentionally irritate or anger him, and upon realizing this, I would become withdrawn and sad. It frustrated him immensely when I would do this, but I could not figure out how to not take it personally as he would suggest.

It's comforting to know that there are others who understand and go through the same things. I think our personality type is largely misunderstood in the general society.

 

[scarygirl]

I cry intensely with movies and all kind of art.
God damn, I cry with Cold Case, Glee, Física o Química, every kind of movie, and even the worse series out there.
I start crying for no reason...and when I'm happy I cry...and when I sing

 

[Wounded Bird]

I also cry a lot. I didn't for many years, I would hold it in. But lately as I've become completely open about myself, I find myself sobbing often. The main reason I cry lately though is that I am in love, and the guy is unavailable much of the time...it's a complicated situation. I do believe we will be together next year, at some point, but I am dying in the mean time. I was hoping I would learn to put him out of my head more, but instead it just gets more and more intense...I love him so much, I worry about him, I hate not being able to protect him, I hate not knowing when I will see him next...

I do wish I were less emotional. It's overwhelming to have to deal with this. There are world issues that make me cry, too. I do get saddened quite often. And I also cry when I am super-happy, as others have mentioned. I feel everything so intensely that I often feel full-body, emotional/spiritual experiences in my day-to-day life. I don't want to give up my emotionality completely, I just need to learn to compose myself more. As someone else said, I have no barriers when it comes to romantic love. I am extremely romantic and affectionate. The guy I love is an INTP. He is very emotional too, but he hides it well. He is able to lead with his head better than I am, of course. I know he loves my bleeding heart passion. I know he craves the kind of emotional intensity I envelop him within. But this situation is killing me as I wait.