Myers Briggs (VQ #3): Mental Illness and the MBTI

Viewer Question #3 submitted by a YouTube user who wishes to remain anonymous.

"What effects, if any, do mental illness have on the MBTI, and what does current research say about the matter?"


This is highly relevant question on the MBTI that I have been asked over and over again. I initially hesitated to answer these messages because, really, current research doesn't have much of an opinion on this important issue.

In this video, I explain my stance on the relationship between mental illness and the MBTI. This video also serves as an important warning to all my viewers to make sure that they place the practicality of the personality inventory in the correct context - the MBTI is ultimately a measurement; a description of what already exists rather than "what you should be".

Category:

Education

Tags:

• myers
• briggs
• personality
• type
• inventory
• entp
• entj
• intp
• intj
• estp
• estj
• istp
• istj
• enfp
• enfj
• esfp
• esfj
• isfp
• isfj
• infp
• infj
• mental
• illness
• depression
• bipolar

[1000mangos]

do you play age of empires?

[barcode9588]

@1000mangos - Yes. I picked up AOE shortly after Starcraft. I followed the franchise the whole way (ie. Age of Kings, Titans, Mythology, etc.) Although LAN/LARPing parties just aren't as fun without mutant zerg costumes.

[XanaduZune]

You work at a crisis center? What do you do, cause people to have crises and convince them that suicide is the best answer?

[barcode9588]

lol, not quite.

[wheoeee]

You should be a lecturer. You're very good.

[AugustusLarch]

I used the MBTI to defend myself from misguided mental health treatments.

I used the MBTI to flesh out shadow roles to peform for my nefarious caregivers. This was used as a draw to grant me a position to shift roles as needed. Soon enough I had any and every phychitrist that tried me reeling after so many visits. Somtimes I had sucess after minutes.

The objective: I wanted to give the people hurting me significant emotional and mental damage. I should publish the method.

[winterpoetry]

I have borderline personality disorder but was thought to have bipolar. I'm a more "take it out on myself and no one knows I'm hurting" borderline than an aggressive, "extroverted" borderline. I type as an INFP, however, I consider myself ENFP because I am outwardly focused on what others think about me more than I believe and introvert would be. I find this interesting and I do believe there is a correlation here. Great topic; thanks!

[thehotavocado]

i have read a lot (80%) of "depressed" people test "introvert". interesting topic. since you have so much experience with mentally ill people, you may enjoy the book "Gut and Psychology Syndrome"; it talks about the connection between our gut health and mental health/overall health. ... good topic...

[cunnidvd]

You're going places girl. Understanding personalities will serve you well.

[vegadantay]

Interestingly, I had a friend who suffered clinical depression and began testing INFP as opposed to INTP as he did prior. I have read that MBTI is not supposed to be applied to one suffering from a mental illness- knowing how you score when affected is probably useful though. I think some evidence suggests that intuitives are more prone to all forms of mental illness- I suppose it comes with the territory.

[luwiboyet]

" Be what you are". thank you so much for being so objective and honest. I think that you have reached the border of being a feeler. :-D. Keep up the good work nice job.

[9906197439]

@wheoeee Yes she is. Perfectly explained !

[demongov]

I will not say that all Bipolars are 'mentally ill'

Myers Briggs can reveal certain personality disorders that may develop in each personality type

[HotKebab]

I'm a ENTP, sometimes when I am feeling very depressed I score as a INFJ.

I heard that there are shadow personality types which occurs when one is feeling down, you become the negative opposite of your personality. 0_0