INFJ and INFP Depression
One of the biggest (yet also most hidden) causes of depression for INFJ personality types (and INFP personality types) is blocked creativity. Many INFJ personality types do not even realize that the reason they feel low-grade depression constantly throughout their life is because they have cut themselves off from a vital need of their personality, and that need is the call to be creative.
Creativity is an unstable energy by nature, and because of its instability it can feel difficult for INFJ personality types to trust it. An INFJ who has experienced trauma in their past will most likely have control issues, and they will feel very uncertain about allowing creativity into their lives because the energy of creativity cannot be predicted, and it cannot be controlled. Surrendering to their own creativity can feel scary, and the INFJ personality type also doesn’t want to get hurt. So, they mentally protect themselves from feeling out of control by suppressing their own creativity.
However, when creativity is suppressed in an INFJ personality type (or an INFP personality type), the INFJ or INFP can become very depressed. Then, when they attempt to reintroduce creativity into their lives, they tend to subconsciously link the idea of creativity with money or a job. The limiting belief responsible for this is, “creativity is only worth it if it makes money.” This can be disastrous for the INFJ or INFP who has a deep need and calling to be creative.
I talk more about this in the video below:
I’m teaching a new class focusing on deep creativity for INFJ and INFP personality types and we’ll be learning all about how our control issues affect our creative life and more. This new class is called “Creative Alchemy” and it begins on Wed Feb 28 and runs for three weeks.
I received a lot of requests to teach a class on the alchemical process of creativity for intuitive types, and so this one has been a long time coming and I’m very excited to see where it leads us. Every one of my classes is truly an experience, and I expect this one will be intense.
Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to my newsletter HERE to get the next two videos in this series, and all the updates on when registration for Creative Alchemy opens, and please also SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel here to get more videos on life as an INFJ or INFP. If you have any questions about the class, you can send them to me here.
I’ll see you soon with the next video in this series: INFJs and Obsessive Self-Consciousness.
Lauren Sapala is the author of Writing on the Intuitive Side of the Brain, The INFJ Writer, The INFJ Revolution, and the creator of Energy and Intuition for INFJs, an online course for INFJs on intuition, relationships, creativity, and more. She is also currently offering a free copy of her book Firefly Magic: Heart Powered Marketing for Highly Sensitive Writers to anyone who signs up for her newsletter. SIGN UP HERE to get your free copy.