Emotional instability for IEIs/INFps

[yeves]

is this an IEI trait? is emotional stability something that you struggle with? a male iEI has commented that he finds it difficult to have clear direction in life because his emotional appraisal changes so much and even flips to exact opposite within a couple of days or even within a few hours. something that seemed like a great idea in the morning he is indifferent to into the afternoon, thus it's hard for him to intently pursue anything. is this only his experience or do other ieis find themselves struggling with this?

[Aylen]

Without motivation I can be like this but I don't think it has anything to do with emotional instability. Just because I think something is a good idea in the morning doesn't mean I have to follow through with it since I can pretty much foresee how it will turn out anyway. If I don't have inspiration to follow through then it seems pointless to even start. Emotional instability has a whole different connotation to me.

Sometimes I just live out the experience fully in my imagination and that is good enough.

[MensSuperMateriam]

It seems correct. I think I have read in Reinin's text (the word doc which is downloadable somewhere in the forum) that IEIs are probably the moodiest type.

In certain way it makes sense, Ni leads them to live in their own mental states, which are less restrained with creative Fe instead of Te. As I'm not IEI I cannot confirm this by direct experience, but by external observation more or less I think this is the case.

[strrrng]

emotional instability used to be more of an issue for me, but more prominently, I just have a tendency to drift, and following through is kind of variable, i.e. not getting up early enough, postponing reading a book or doing something, etc. in general I think things just tend to emerge and am always kind of watching for what my moods and emotional sensibilities tell me... courses of action can relatively easily change. fortunately it's not as volatile as it used to be. I think in general IEIs experience the difficulty of objectively modulating their states more keenly than most types, but I don't necessarily see emotional instability as being more characteristic of them.

[IBTL]

As a dynamic type, this should apply to most IEIs. I think the problem lies in how "mood" is described, though, which is not very accurate for an Fe personality type. "Mood" is usually seen as a subjective emotion, and it is typically described as either good or bad, positive or negative, all encompassing or nonexistent, and so forth. So Fi actually encompasses everything required of a "mood" with its subjective orientation and algorithmic nature.

A "mood" for an Fe type is highly dependent on external, objective factors.

[chemical]

I think almost any dynamic IP type actually has a good access to the flow of their basic emotional states in accordance with inner psychological circumstances (basic meaning more in terms of positive/negative than something more complex). I don't like the suggestion of that being tied to Fe, because Fe should not be about the subject's inner psychic disposition and rather should be about objective connections and states. Meaning, if I objectively do this, it expresses a certain emotionally coded truth. It is a function of rationalization, so to say simply looking into your inner state including your mood without really providing an ethical rationalization of it is Fe starts getting really hazy.
Feeling is always a subjective rationalization because it involves tuning into emotional truths and valuations, but Fe directs this towards objectively evident connections, which is why it translates into interacting with definite objects to convey a certain feeling. Acting, expressiveness and all these things are given as an example of Fe for a reason - because they make through definite objective interaction evident certain emotional truths.

In fact the Fe-leads will not be nearly as in tune with themselves and their inner disposition to know the exact flow of their basic moods, but will be much stronger at ethically influencing an object in accordance with an already-rationalized program.

I think simply noting how emotions arise and what events led to them in a passive sense is more an irrational thing than a rational thing. Rationality comes in when you wish to achieve an ethical outcome, namely convey an ethical truth such as getting someone to realize a certain emotion or system of emotional associations that has a definite rational truth (that is, definitively conveying how certain felt-into contents are and are not to be associated). This is why IEI are portrayed as romantics - they may be highly creative as to these emotional truths.

[silverchris9]

Yeah. I wouldn't so much say emotional instability in terms of entering and being unable to leave an emotional state wherein one is likely to do harm to one's self or others. NiFe, of all types, is probably most naturally inclined towards successful self-regulation of the inner world/inner life. Not that IEIs can't have mental illnesses, obviously. But should the IEI choose to develop them, the skills for healthy self-management are likely to come easily. (Obviously this only includes situations where "self-management" is relevant, i.e., not in situations where substantial imbalances in brain chemistry/non-typical brain function is in play)

However, as MensSuperMateriam says, IEIs are likely to be the moodiest type insofar as our actions are strongly affected by our moods. NiFe privileges the inner life more or less above all else; as such, we are accustomed to doing what our interior worlds dictate. As strrrrng says, this can make follow through difficult, since "I don't feel like it" carries an awful lot of weight with the IEI (which of course is one reason why the SLE dual is useful to the IEI). On the other hand, in a state of freedom, it is probably relatively easier for the IEI to occasionally and unpredictably (except we can kinda induce it in ourselves, not demand, but induce) fall into states of extreme productivity and flow, particularly at tasks which others might find difficult, unusual, or esoteric. Again, this looks like moodiness: when he's in a good mood, he's so productive and on top of shit; when he's in a bad mood, he's so useless. So that's my $.02 on moody IEIs.

[wacey]

It gets easier with age and with collected experiences glued to the hearts and HEADS.

Emotional rivers carve deep canyons. Once those are set, the rivers follow the same paths again and again. With this comes familiarity and equanimity. Age levels out the highs and highs, lows and lows. River is still there though. It helps to accept the rivers cause they will never dry up. "No, no, I always feel this much, its pretty typical."

[Words]

is this an IEI trait? is emotional stability something that you struggle with? a male iEI has commented that he finds it difficult to have clear direction in life because his emotional appraisal changes so much and even flips to exact opposite within a couple of days or even within a few hours. something that seemed like a great idea in the morning he is indifferent to into the afternoon, thus it's hard for him to intently pursue anything. is this only his experience or do other ieis find themselves struggling with this?

I think it is worth pointing out that this isn't necessarily an IEI trait - it is more so a trait associated with perceiving types - that is their work productivity depends on their mood, and that perceiving types are more inclined to start things than finish them properly - in comparison with the judging types.

[wacey]

Having an ipod helps to draw the mind away from the task and fantasize for a time while things get done. A consequence of this coping mechanism is that it can be distracting, not good for an often absent minded Ni-dom! Small details get missed and can add up to big trouble and much stress for the scrambling IEI.

Because who wants to be seen as incompetent? Better just tell a little white lie to cover for it: a consequence of this is that those also add up and make one feel doubly awful that a mistake was made and that a lie was told to cover for it. Best route? Down play/ tell the truth/ act naive/ address it and say all the right words: "yes, sorry, won't happen again, you bet, I will watch for it next time". If it happens again, retain a sense of humour.

As far as just staying motivated, IEI can get it done, if it A) really wants it done, and B) it is required for the next thing. Willpower is dual seeking after all - not altogether an issue for IEI, they just really need to see where the effort is going.

yeves, you might be viewing this from an SLI perspective. IEI LIKE to be able to say what is going on inside them. Tease them for their behaviour. The weather may change throughout the day, but the sky remains the same. Remind them of the dreams and why it is worthwhile. A little morale support goes a long way with these folks.

[Park]

I would guess that any personality type with psychological issues resulting from childhood trauma, abuse, etc. could be like this, although it could look and manifest differently on the outside.

[wacey]

I agree, Park. I think the original question still remains a valid point for discussion. Which probably explains why the forum intuitive ethicals responded so quickly.

[IBTL]

yes wacey, those can become our problems, but it is morale that's supportive to IEIs, not moral support. moral support is Fi, and it is affirmative. Fi wants "to know" Te if others are feeling Fi the same "way" (j function) be it good or bad.

basically, I respond to shitty Fe morale with helpful, healing Ni in an Fe judging way (j function). So then if there's hard or bitter Fe feelings, then I'll think Ti, "Do you think Ti this shit sucks too?"

[wacey]

Morale: yeah that's what I had meant, thanks for clarifying.

[IBTL]

Fiona Apple is IEI



"You'll say I need appeasing
when I start to cry"

Again, fuck all of you! Negative emotional "instability" like crying, anger, or shrieking, as opposed to laughter or excitement, for an IEI denotes an external problem. Recall, an IEI's Fe feelings are extroverted and external.

[huiheiwufhawriuhg]

Oh, yes this is me! It's so hard to be emotional stable and to keep a healthy distance between myself and my feelings, they tend to overwhelm me and I am so prone to melancholy. Sometimes I am more what my emotions are, than what my mind is and I a lot of my desicions are made based on my current feelings.

[IBTL]

It's so hard to be emotional stable and to keep a healthy distance between myself and my feelings, they tend to overwhelm me and I am so prone to melancholy.

Keeping distance between yourself and your feelings is wrong and not genuine!

[huiheiwufhawriuhg]

Keeping distance between yourself and your feelings is wrong and not genuine!

hmm...A healthy distance between what is rational and emotional is a must for an individual to develop. We're not only feeling beings, but we also think. Build one's life only and purley on emotions is rather destructive and for that reason, we need to keep some distance between who we are as a people, what we think is rationally good and what we feel.