Signs of an Unhealthy ISFP Personality Type

Signs of an Unhealthy ISFP Personality Type

In this post, we’ll highlight signs of unhealthiness in an ISFP (introverted, sensing, feeling, perceiving) personality type, yet also provide guidance on how these difficulties can be overcome. Let’s begin by getting a picture of a healthy ISFP personality type to better contextualize when one has tipped toward a dark path. A healthy ISFP is:

• empathetic and compassionate
• independent
• morally consistent
• realistic yet optimistic
• creatively expressive
• self-loving

Signs of an unhealthy ISFP

Avoidance issues

ISFPs can be easily overwhelmed. One typical maladaptive response to this can be to avoid important issues entirely. An unhealthy ISFP may miss appointments, allow bills to go unpaid, and see their living space fall into disarray. At worst, this can lead to poor self-care, which is a slippery slope to a truly chaotic and harmful lifestyle.

Dealing with avoidance issues: Organization, routine, and habit are excellent tools for staying on top of whatever needs to be done. This may go against the nature of some ISFPs, but even the wildest of free spirits can learn how to structure and plan their days more effectively.

Overdependence

Linked to the ISFP’s tendency for avoidance is the issue of overdependence. If the ISFP gets used to others sorting out their issues and looking after them, they may become overly reliant on the goodwill of their friends, family, or partner to hold themselves together. This can become particularly problematic if the ISFP is over-relying on someone who takes on the caretaker role to an unhealthy degree.

Dealing with dependence: People who are trying to help an ISFP in a rough spot should be careful to draw clear boundaries for the health of both parties. At worst, an overly dependent ISFP may need tough love in the form of others stepping back in order to ensure they deal with their own issues. That being said, keep in mind that some level of emotional support is important for all people.

Self-absorption

An unhealthy ISFP can get so wrapped up in their own feelings and ideas that they become narrow-minded and/or closed off to the points of view of others. This can be dangerous as the ISFP may become increasingly isolated from others and even lose touch with a realistic or balanced view of the world.

This tendency relates somewhat to the difficulty that some ISFPs have communicated, largely due to their introversion. Sometimes an unhealthy ISFP assumes that other people will be able to understand their strong emotions, yet neglects to provide the explanation or context that would help others best appreciate their perspective and have close two-way discussions with them.

Dealing with self-absorption: An ISFP who’s too self-absorbed needs to work on their communication, which means both voicing their own ideas clearly and ensuring that they’re taking in what others are saying with genuine consideration.

Neglect of creativity

Every ISFP is brimming with creativity but if they don’t get to express this side of themselves, they may stagnate and become depressed. It’s important to note that creativity doesn’t necessarily need to be expressed artistically; it can also be expressed through problem-solving, lively conversation, or other positive means.

Dealing with neglect of creativity: The way to deal with an ISFP’s neglect of their own creativity depends greatly on why it’s occurring. There are two main reasons this might be the case. Sometimes life circumstances may be preventing the ISFP from getting their creative fix. This may indicate that it’s time for a change of job or to find a more artsy and crafty social group. At other times, the ISFP just doesn’t feel the creative “spark” they used to. This is when the ISFP needs to force themselves to creatively engage whether they’re “feeling it” or not. In this case, they’ll usually find that their gifts are still present, it simply takes a little effort to get into the flow.

Cynicism

Since their emotions are particularly strong, and occasionally volatile, when times are hard in the life of an ISFP, they can fall into cynicism. The ISFP is especially prone to this downfall due to the conflict between their idealism and the imperfect world they find themselves in.

At worst, a particularly cynical ISFP can tip toward nihilism, opening the door for immoral and self-destructive behavior. Sometimes an ISFP’s cynicism can turn inwards, leading to the related problem of self-loathing.

Dealing with cynicism: Forms of creative expression that involve darkness and black humor can be excellent ways for an ISFP to vent their more difficult feelings. If an ISFP you know has become too cynical, encourage them to allow their feelings out through art or craft, but make sure they include a glimmer of hope somewhere in the work as well.

Overindulgence

The combination of being highly sensing and feeling can create a perfect storm for the ISFP to develop habits of overindulgence. Often this centers around overeating or (more dangerously) drinking too much alcohol. Nearly invariably, these habits stem from underlying issues of dissatisfaction with life and the overindulgence will thus fail to fill the emotional deficits that need tending.

Dealing with overindulgence: Taking a retreat from the outlets of their overindulgence can be the perfect way for an ISFP to break bad habits of overindulgence. Spending some time in the natural world is a good idea since it appeals to the ISFP’s appreciation of sensory beauty. This may, in fact, help the ISFP deal with the issues or underlying glumness that led to their overindulgence in the first place.