[Ahiko]

This past weekend, I was reading up on shadow types and ENFPs under stress. I was actually questioning whether I actually was an ENFP or if maybe I had miss-typed myself.

I have a few questions though.

Is how you act as a child a good indication of your type?

I was reading that people tend to act differently from when they were a kid. Some argue that it's not a good indication of type. How I acted before college is way different than I am now.

Actually, I feel like I changed my mindset about things when I started getting into relationships. I didn't get into that kind of stuff until senior year of high school, but it got me out of my self-centered mindset and helped me to be more receptive of other people and their needs.

I do feel like I've essentially been the same; just more optimistic.

Do people tend to mistype when they're in an unhealthy state?

Since last week, I've been suffering through bouts of self-doubt and loss of identity. It got to the point where I wasn't feeling like myself anymore and just wanted to shut everyone out.

I was actually getting to the point where I was doubting if I was ENFP at all and was trying to read up as much as I can about our type. I do feel like I fit very well and identify with our whole lot, but some times I can identify with other types.

How accurate is Enneagram? Does it ever change?

I was looking over some questions and articles about it, but I seem to have changed my preference for sub-types. sx is definitely dominant for me, but I noticed sp/so are nearly tied (sp 83, so 81). I guess my preference for social & self-preservation change depending on my context.

Since I graduated, I've been more me-centered. I don't have to worry much about other people now that I'm away from that social sphere. I have more preference to prioritize my needs than other people's needs and even being introverted is fine with me.

I still do have a tendency to put other's needs before mine and have a hard time saying no to things (2w3/7w6), so I do have this attraction and sympathy to want to be there for people. Just lately, after neglecting my needs for so long in the place of others', it seems like I should focus on me and say no to helping others.

I feel like this adjustment after college to conform to the adult world and take more responsibility for my needs and obligations is hitting me hard. :bored:

Is this normal? Have any of you gone through this?

 

[Ntuitive]

I think this is what happened to me, although I recently discovered I'm an ENFP. I've been very stressed for the past several years since college and I think because of that I thought I typed myself INFJ. But I used to be pretty outgoing and funny and definitely related to ENFP so I think it's my natural type. I also am not completely sure if the past is a determinant, but I'm in a similar situation as far as understanding my type.

 

[Ace Face]

Those are all great questions

Is how you act as a child a good indication of your type?
I'll just answer this as I ramble Things like environment, trauma, your raising, your own will, and other things can force you to compromise and change the way you think in order to adapt. Even jobs can change the way you think... military, FAA, etc. The fact that you adapt to your surroundings in order to survive does not mean that that is what is natural to you. I personally believe you will feel stressed out, incomplete, and even unhappy until you are able to actually be who you are at the core. In my opinion, this means that until you feel safe using the functions natural to who you really are, you're going to feel as if something is missing. I've been in environments in which I've had to adapt to using cognitive functions that I'm not naturally inclined to use. While I got by and had moments of happiness, I was not truly happy. To answer your question, yes, I believe remembering who you were before you started puberty can really help you get back in touch with who you really are in actuality When our lives get started, we tend to lose focus of who we really are. It's very easy to get distracted!

Do people tend to mistype when they're in an unhealthy state?
Yes, this is a frequent occurrence. I always identified as ENFP because it fit like a glove--no two ways about it. I learned through those pesky, unhelpful online tests that I do actually test differently when under stress. It's quite interesting. I would test myself for fun when I was stressed out just to see what would happen. Under stress, I've tested as INTJ, ENTJ, INFP, and even INTP.

How accurate is Enneagram? Does it ever change?
Some people can figure their enneagram out rather quickly with no problems. Others have to take time to study themselves and the enneagram in order to figure it out. Sometimes, I feel that I am a 7-8-3 as opposed to a 7-1-3. I'm still studying so I can be confident in my gut fix. I believe that under stress, you may exhibit unhealthy behaviors of your enneagram type. I'm a core 7(w8), and when I'm stressed out, I act just as an unhealthy 7 is said to act. I don't believe your enneagram changes, though you may experience moments that might seem to indicate that you are a different type than what you are. Enneagram 2 has been suggested and considered for me, and while I might display some behaviors that make me seem like a 2, I know that my heart fix is actually a 3. It fits much better and it makes wayyy more sense in terms of who I am. I would suggest that you just take some time to study yourself and to study the enneagram

I realize that I haven't touched much on your personal context, but I feel that the distinctions I made can be of help though I did not directly address your personal issues. If you still have questions after this, I would be glad to try to help

 

[chimeric]

Is how you act as a child a good indication of your type?

I think so, if "child" is defined as pre-puberty. Ages 12-16, I consistently tested as an INFP. As a kid, I probably would have tested somewhere along the periphery of ENFP and INFP, as I test now.

Do people tend to mistype when they're in an unhealthy state?

Other people certainly. Personally, I've never once doubted N, F, or P.

How accurate is Enneagram? Does it ever change?

I couldn't say how accurate it is, as it's not an empirically testable science, nor could I state with certainty whether it ever changes. According to the theory, it does not change.

Personally, I identify with both 4w3 and 6w7 very strongly, to the extent that I doubt I'll ever feel entirely confident calling one of them my core type.

 

[Ahiko]

Those are all great questions

Is how you act as a child a good indication of your type?
I'll just answer this as I ramble Things like environment, trauma, your raising, your own will, and other things can force you to compromise and change the way you think in order to adapt. Even jobs can change the way you think... military, FAA, etc. The fact that you adapt to your surroundings in order to survive does not mean that that is what is natural to you. I personally believe you will feel stressed out, incomplete, and even unhappy until you are able to actually be who you are at the core. In my opinion, this means that until you feel safe using the functions natural to who you really are, you're going to feel as if something is missing. I've been in environments in which I've had to adapt to using cognitive functions that I'm not naturally inclined to use. While I got by and had moments of happiness, I was not truly happy. To answer your question, yes, I believe remembering who you were before you started puberty can really help you get back in touch with who you really are in actuality When our lives get started, we tend to lose focus of who we really are. It's very easy to get distracted!

I agree with this a lot. I actually feel that most times I can adapt pretty well to situations, but if I get stressed into having to conform myself to some sort of personality or construct, I start to lose my footing and feel my individuality might be threatened. I do feel like something is missing since I'm having to conform. Even when I try to be unrealistically optimistic about it, I get pulled back to reality and it makes me contemplate that environment for me.

During stress, I reflect on my younger self before college and compare the changes in personality. Although my work ethic has changed, I feel like I've always been the same person. It might be that I'm always under stress, though. Dx

Do people tend to mistype when they're in an unhealthy state?
Yes, this is a frequent occurrence. I always identified as ENFP because it fit like a glove--no two ways about it. I learned through those pesky, unhelpful online tests that I do actually test differently when under stress. It's quite interesting. I would test myself for fun when I was stressed out just to see what would happen. Under stress, I've tested as INTJ, ENTJ, INFP, and even INTP.

Relate-able! To be honest, I always felt like I've always been the same person. It's funny though because even when I'm under stress, I'd normally score as ENFP. but in many ways I've identified with ENTJ, INTJ, and INFP when I read through their descriptions.

How accurate is Enneagram? Does it ever change?
Some people can figure their enneagram out rather quickly with no problems. Others have to take time to study themselves and the enneagram in order to figure it out. Sometimes, I feel that I am a 7-8-3 as opposed to a 7-1-3. I'm still studying so I can be confident in my gut fix. I believe that under stress, you may exhibit unhealthy behaviors of your enneagram type. I'm a core 7(w8), and when I'm stressed out, I act just as an unhealthy 7 is said to act. I don't believe your enneagram changes, though you may experience moments that might seem to indicate that you are a different type than what you are. Enneagram 2 has been suggested and considered for me, and while I might display some behaviors that make me seem like a 2, I know that my heart fix is actually a 3. It fits much better and it makes wayyy more sense in terms of who I am. I would suggest that you just take some time to study yourself and to study the enneagram

I do feel I fit Enneagram 2 pretty well. I found this article 2 - Enneagram Type Two: The Helper and it's hitting everything dead on, especially the unhealthy symptoms. Reading through Enneagram 3, I can relate to that too so I might need to read more into it. Success has definitely been on my mind a lot lately and I do tend to identify my self-worth a lot with my success. x_x~

I realize that I haven't touched much on your personal context, but I feel that the distinctions I made can be of help though I did not directly address your personal issues. If you still have questions after this, I would be glad to try to help

This really helped me a lot & no worries about not touching on the personal contexts. I really can't be more grateful for your insight. I've definitely got a lot more studying to do, but after talking things out this weekend and receiving your insight, I feel a lot better and am slowly becoming comfortable as me again.

 

[voicetrocity]

Is how you act as a child a good indication of your type?

Do people tend to mistype when they're in an unhealthy state?

Personally, I do believe how one acts as a child is a good indication of type. I was VERY ENFP as a child, which I lost going through some things in my adolescence and being repressed by a stressful living situation. Living on my own for the past few years, I find myself slipping back into some personality traits I thought I had long lost, which is a great delight and comfort to me. I truly feel like I'm getting back to myself.

And I do believe that one tests differently when they're in an unhealthy state. In my adolescence, I tested as an INFJ- which I can still relate to some aspects of that personality to this day.

I can relate to a lot of what you said. As a teenager, I was almost desperate for acceptance- and acted on that by always wanting to help and putting others needs before my own and continued to do that up until about six years ago. And it wasn't anything that made me stop; it was more a slow/gradual transition. I still have "What the... I'm selfish?" moments, but I normally shrug them off and figure I deserve to make up for lost time (as long as my selfishness isn't hurting anyone else, of course.)

Keep hanging in there and know you're not alone.