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Question #1157268552Sunday, 3-Sep-2006
Category: Mental Disorders
Are certain types more susceptible to developing a mental disorder (such as depression, schizophrenia, OCD, etc.)? -- An INTJ
Your Answers: 1+
A1 No, depression, schizophrenia, OCD, etc. are organic disorders of the brain. The personality types each have features in common with mental disorders of various kinds, but there is nothing to suggest that an otherwise healthy individual is more likely to develop a mental disorder consistent with the expression of his or her normal personality. -- metroGnome, the ostensible INTj
A2 I believe specific types are more prone to specific personality disorders. Estp-narcissitic, Infj-avoidant, Enfj-obsessive compulsive and so on. However, I believe the personality is probably linked to brain chemistry, and possibly genetic-not sure how though.... (And yes, environment plays a part too-but then again, a parent who suffers a mental or personality disorder has the gene-and the personality around the developing child...). A person is probably predisposed to developing a certain mental or personality disorder, from his brain chemical makeup plus his personality style in some cases. What started as anxiety attacks from some messed up chemistry in the brain, could lead to a person becoming agoraphobic, for example. The personality of the person (like an INFj)had him predisposed to developing this disorder. However, a different personality (like Enfj)-may handle the chemicial imbalance causing the anxiety differently by developing an obsessive compulsive personality disorder, or just OCD. Each personality would probably handle the anxiety (a chemicial "mix up" in the brain) differently-by developing either a mental disorder or a personality disorder. (Unless of course, the anxiety was addressed right away). I believe the mind can cause chemical reactions in the brain. How we think differs from personality to personality.I believe some mental disorders are more than a product of chemistry. The mind is powerful. A fearful mind becomes afraid, a sad mind becomes depressed-I feel these emotions within the body change the chemistry. The personality created the emotion, and therefore a chemical reaction occurred-I just feel there has to be a link...But what comes first, the chemistry or the personality? A psychologist once told me being OCD was a Norwegian trait. Our ancestors hoarded food for the cold winters. Hoarding is a trait of OCD. Genetic? Biology? Environment? Personality? Sorry to ramble... -- aj
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A3 You say that mental disorders are caused from organic aspects.... but just curious, what are personality types caused from. -- Hitta
A4 @A4 Personality types might or might not be permanently fixed or the basis of an individual's neural wiring. The jury is still out. I know that makes me sound like an heretic around here but so be it. Assuming that type is a permanent feature of the brain; i.e. organic, there is no evidence that if one suffers from a mental disorder that such a disorder would result in an exacerbation of one's normal tendencies. -- metroGnome, the ostensible INTj
A5 Your the one that made the statement of absolution. You said that neurologic disorders are of organic basis. I am simply stating that personality types are of organic basis as well. But then again, theoretically speaking, what makes most accepted mental disorders classified as "mental disorders" and personality driven objectives in a person to be accepted as normality. Relatively speaking, all aspects of the human brain could be referred to as "mental disorders" if it were politically and socially accepted. Maybe the typical person with schizophrenia or OCD isn't plagued by the mental disorder, but the common person is. I am simply stating that there could be a correlation between mental disorders and personality. Basically anything can be interpreted as one sees fit. Its all based upon relativity. Most statements that most personality theories of are divine ojectivity, and mental disorders are completely stricken from being involved in the basis of personality development is completely absurd. -- Hitta
A6 Messed up the last sentence.... should read like this..."Most idealizations that personality theory and mental disorders should be considered totally unrelated is a totally absurd concept. We can't even really define what personality and mental disorders are. They could really be one and the same thing." -- Hitta
A7 I've read an article online saying there is a connection between schizophrenia and ENFJ if they try to use perceving senses. Well personally, I was born an enfj and I think somehow.... maybe becuase of my enviorment, I try to change myself and use my extrovert sensing and introvert thinking a little too much... bad idea. i was diagnose with Thought disorder(a symptom of schizophrenia). Which was strange because i have no family history of this illness and having thought disorder alone without hallucination and delusion is extremly rare. -- Anonymous
A8 I would hazard the guess that introverts develop psychological disorders more frequently. -- ENTj
A9 Agreed A8. But the actual number, variety and scope of possible variables is literally infinite. Consider the damaging effects of long term interaction with a Supervisor or Conflict type parent ... induced disorders, family/personal issues strongly looked down upon by society, frequently and unnecessarily attracted attention, delayed development, any of many possible events that might only worsen an individual's psychological state (those and ALL respective tangents), etc. "How many people have not yet been diagnosed with disorders they actually have?" is a stupid question I hear psychologists and "psychobabblists" ask frequently. There are obvious fads burgeoning everywhere: "Why are you doing that?" - "Oh, it's just my ... disorder." ...... Response to A7: Speaking of "thought disorder," imagine being an introverted T-type misdiagnosed with or having developed a kind of "feeling disorder" (i.e. some emotional issue) due to early environment ... and then having to dig your way out of it! - while being demanded to explain your feelings further! - while the ever benevolent doctors just want to help! - and it's only because of your alleged "feeling disorder" (i.e. said emotional issue ... by now a "given" presupposition in any future context) that you can't percieve clearly how the doctors are truly "kind!" - in turn refusing their stupid/ignorant benevolence, only to be thought arrogant! Similar sequence can unfold with introverted F-types with parents and "friends" wonder why the poor little bastard hasn't "matured" yet. The most obvious limitation of clinical psychology is that it aims to "repair" an individual's "mental tools" for dealing with society, without first identifying what their fully "repaired" form is. As an example: Consider now going to a heart surgeon who wants to repair your heart while not knowing what a healthy one looks/functions like; or in the case of being mended to better fit the mold of a particular type, consider taking your dog to the family pediatrician so it can be healed into a better child and your child to the veterinarian so it can be healed into a better dog. Aside from the infinitely many cases of possible hypochondria, verbal miscomprehension and misdiagnoses, etc. it's fair to say that some people really do need psychiatric help. My caveats aside, it's unlikely that they'll really get the right "cure" as a lock needs the right key and they'll have to settle for crude approximations that only wrench them one way and another; ... care to supplement? - Pick your cliche. -- Anonymous
A10 a9, dont let the name fool you "thought disorder" is not what you think -- enfj
A11 I don't think terming psychological peculiarities disorders may even be that accurate. For it to be a disorder means that there is an exact way that our psyche should work, which we would all agree is bunk, that is if you are into socionics. The whole point of the theory is that people are different. I think that psychological dissorders are often an extreme case of a personality. For instance in the Myers Briggs system labelling someone a T simply means that there is more T than F in them. Some people have a little more T, and in rare cases someone may have all T and no F at all. These people will be completely devoid of all feeling, and may end up being like Christian Bale on American Psycho. People that seem to have psychic powers may be NF's whose N and F completely outbalance their S and T. I could go on, but you get the point. -- Anonymous
A12 well I've recently learned narcissism is more wide spread than my previous impression. I equated narcissim with narcissistic disorder but that is an error of judgement. Actually many sane orderly people demonstrate narcisstic tendencies - look at any magazine covers like maxim or men's health for a quick example of vanity. Just consider what personality disorder means and compare that to someone who has alot of "personality" if your familiar with the song (I've got personality...personality), there not the same thing. So for narcissism one trait of a few is superiority for its own pleasure: like if you enjoy dominating, controlling or more positively leading a situation that is narcissism but when that turns into a narcissistic disorder I'm not too sure. Consider what it means to be obsessive like during an infatuation with someone or when having to write a paper or finish a job but again when does an obsession turn into an obsession disorder. What I mean is a socioinic theorists can tell your socionic personality and a common person can tell your personlity traits but a specialized pyschologist can tell your personality disorder (if you have one). -- Anonymous
A13 type itself is just a mental disorder -- Anonymous
A14 @A8, Many cultures consider extroverted behavior to be more "normal" than introverted behavior. Also, disorders that develop in a social group can be more difficult to recognize than a disorder one might develop on his/her own since the social group can allow the disease to become a normal part of the culture. An example of this would be Wall Street. Many people have pointed to the impulsive, self-destructive behavior on Wall Street as very common for it's employees but also a reason for the current financial crisis. Another example is a group of sororrity girls I just read about who all developed eating disorders while living together. They were competing to be the thinnest girl in the house and actually destroyed the plumbing in the building because of the stomach acid build-up! I know that's a gross story but, I think you get the point. There's a big misconception about inroverts and the idea that we spend a little too much time alone. If you're never alone, how do you get the distance from your surroundings to let your mind/body tell you if you're a part of a mentally unhealthy culture? -- INFp
*Please note that the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of socionics.com*
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