The “in the grip” phenomenon that happens when you’re under extreme stress according to MBTI type

Vanessa Bradford

The “in the grip” phenomenon that happens when you’re under extreme stress according to MBTI type

The last post, What each of the MBTI personality types do when they’re stressed, explored the various stress triggers for different personality types. Now it’s time to discuss an entirely different beast: the “in the grip” stress experience.

Think of it this way: when you start to get a little stressed, it makes sense that the strongest and most developed part of your personality (your favorite function) takes over because that’s what feels most comfortable to you. It’s like placing a security blanket over the discomfort of a stressful situation. But this coping mechanism doesn’t typically work for chronic or extreme stress triggered by things like burnout, illness, loss, life transitions, drugs, and more. The specific triggers are different for everyone.

When you experience chronic or extreme stress, you have a lower level of conscious energy. In other words, you just don’t have enough to give anymore. So when your usual coping mechanisms don’t work, the unconscious energy of your least favorite function sneaks its way into your behavior and overall outlook. When this happens, you’re “in the grip.” It’s kind of like a Jekyll and Hyde situation where something unfamiliar and alarming seems to have its grip on you.

Without self-awareness and healthy coping skills, it’s easy to get caught in the grip. And because your inferior function is underdeveloped, it often comes out in immature, childish ways when you’re under extreme stress. It happens to the best of us, even the experts. One Certified Practitioner of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator^® (MBTI) assessment, Michael Segovia, explains what the extreme stress response looks like for him as an INFP personality type:

“My least favorite function is something called extraverted Thinking. In everyday situations, that’s about organizing the world in a logical, task-focused way. It’s not typically what I do. So, when I’m in a place of extreme stress, that function can take over. And because I don’t use it often, I might not use it well. For me, it can come off as being really bossy, pointing fingers at people, and being pushy. Very unlike the person I usually am.”

The last blog post covered how different personality types act when their favorite function takes over at the first signs of stress. Since it’s Stress Awareness Month, and extreme stress can affect any of us at one time or another, here’s what happens to different personality types when they’re in the grip of their least favorite function – plus some examples of the lessons they can learn from the experience:

ISTJ and ISFJ least favorite function: extraverted Intuition

For ISTJ and ISFJ personality types, the “in the grip” experience may look like:

Impulsiveness
Catastrophizing
Loss of control over facts and details

What they can learn from the experience:

Renewed appreciation for relationships
The value of a broader, more flexible perspective
The importance of clarifying or reprioritizing personal values

INFJ and INTJ least favorite function: extraverted Sensing

For INFJ and INTJ personality types, the “in the grip” experience may look like:

Overindulgence
A critical, dogmatic attitude
Obsessive focus on external data

What they can learn from the experience:

Moderation
Adaptability to change
The value of setting more realistic goals

ISFP and INFP least favorite function: extraverted Thinking

For ISFP and INFP personality types, the “in the grip” experience may look like:

Belief that they’re incompetent
Harsh criticism of themselves and others
Taking impulsive action to solve an imaginary challenge

What they can learn from the experience:

How to balance their idealism with practicality
That it’s OK to be competitive or accomplished
Acknowledgement of their own insecurities or mistakes

ISTP and INTP least favorite function: extraverted Feeling

For ISTP and INTP personality types, the “in the grip” experience may look like:

An accusatory and emotional attitude
Overemphasis on logic to the point of going in circles
Misinterpretation of others’ comments or body language as rejection or dislike

What they can learn from the experience:

Newfound respect for the unexplainable
Acknowledgement of their own vulnerability
Better ability to express their depth and feelings

ESTP and ESFP least favorite function: introverted Intuition

For ESTP and ESFP personality types, the “in the grip” experience may look like:

Anxiety spirals and overwhelming fear
Searches for deeper meaning, often of a grandiose nature
Misinterpretation of cues and a belief that others disapprove of them

What they can learn from the experience:

How to make space for future possibilities
Appreciation for the unknown or ambiguous
Acceptance and acknowledgment of their own and others’ intuition

ENFP and ENTP least favorite function: introverted Sensing

For ENFP and ENTP personality types, the “in the grip” experience may look like:

Feelings of sadness and despair
Outrage or obsessiveness over minor details or errors
Hyperfixation on their body or perceived medical issues

What they can learn from the experience:

The value of facts and details
The importance of structure and planning
An appreciation for the big picture and a broader perspective

ESFJ and ENFJ least favorite function: introverted Thinking

For ESFJ and ENFJ personality types, the “in the grip” experience may look like:

Inflexibility
Obsession over finding the “real truth”
Harsh criticism of themselves and others

What they can learn from the experience:

Appreciation for their own ability to think logically
Acceptance that total harmony isn’t always possible
How to be calmer and more collected in the face of adversity

ESTJ and ENTJ least favorite function: introverted Feeling

For ESTJ and ENTJ personality types, the “in the grip” experience may look like:

Sudden outbursts of emotion
A quiet exterior to hide their vulnerability
Hypersensitivity, especially when they feel excluded or unappreciated

What they can learn from the experience:

Recognition of their own limits
More acceptance of their own vulnerability and feelings
The importance of relationships with those closest to them