Most people’s brains appear to be wired for more social interaction, for more emotional processing and signalling than an INTJ is. INTJ brains are especially sensitive to certain stimuli - in a sense they can be hypersensitive to social stimulation whilst also being undersensitive to the nuances of it, probably because of their hyper-awareness to things like threat and situational awareness, on average. As such they divert from social situations and wire themselves for information-seeking and self-care instead. They have a tendency to desire thorough and absolute solutions to problems, if any exist, and these behaviors are also a means to that end. But the INTJ mind is plastic enough that they can learn social interaction, emotionality and just about anything else other types do, if they want to. What they can’t do is remove their core nature as independent-thinkers and actors, and their introverted needs on the psychological level.

INTJs will do whatever it is they are comfortable doing. For some it is being behind a computer screen, for some it might be being out in nature. But they will probably not be a big fan of socially-overstimulating places. It’s probably rare to meet them because they won’t be out looking to meet you - they will be doing whatever their interest is instead.

 "INTJs need time to grow into their personalities and allow them to fully develop. Many variables conspire to create who we are as individuals.

Being an INTJ is really tough on the brain. Thinking is hard work! All that analytical crunching as we absorb the complexities of everything tends to cause some issues.

This is especially true when we are faced with having to rationalize illogical things.. Like emotions. We have a very strong tendency to react poorly to stress whenever it is tied to feelings. Especially when it is a sudden, unexpected thing!

This commonly provokes occorances of many of the same threshold criteria for the schizoid-related afflictions. Psychosis. This might even be confused with a manic episode of bipolar.

But, here’s the interesting part.. when our brains have the time they need to just relax and crunch though all that plotting, planning, and rationalization that we are internally hardwired to do.. well.. All returns to normal and we just learned a lesson and went from an immature INTJ to a smarter version. How? We developed a defense mechanism!

At times, INTJs are very demanding of their environments. But, what goes in their heads is absolute insanity. Talking to a therapist and saying things like.. “I just want my brain to shut up”? Hmmm. Anywhere in that big scary psychiatric diagnostic manual where you see the term ‘racing thoughts'.. that is the answer to the question.

We are not anti-social. Quiet time alone is our medicine. Extraverts don't easily comprehend that reality. Confidence and intelligence is not narcissistic traits. Our goal is to efficiently make things better, not trample peoples feelings for the fun of it. All of the rumors linking the personality to psychopathic related disorders? No. We are good people who want to make things better. Yes, we can be kind of abrasive.

Somewhere in my research, I remember reading about how the personality traits overlap significantly with Autism/Asperger Syndrome. And, lastly.. INTJs have a weakness for temptation in times of stress. Alcoholism and drug use is common.

Schizoid. Bipolar mania. (Our normal quiet time is not depression)."

One that has lost faith in their internal abilities to predict, adapt and overcome. Withdrawn, exceptionally so, no faith in interacting with people any more, little faith in themselves. They may even begin to find everything a giant joke and treat it as such.

Luckily, the INTJ is like one of those self-righting robot toys, even with low batteries. They will right themselves, one way or another, usually by cutting off the dead limbs of the tree and moving forward with even more severe purpose (survival). They will find something else to focus on, though they may leave all people behind. They may become hermits or aesetics, they may undertake a hobo journey to find meaning again. They typically aren’t the suicidal type, in my experience, even though they may speak about being “eternally close to death” or familiar with death. This is probably due to the INTJs propensity for seeing existence as a net positive, even when it contains suffering - for to arise from nothing, live and return to nothing is still an experience otherwise unhad.

As an INTJ myself, I would say yes; in general, we pick up on new information quickly and have in uncanny ability to make connections between seemingly irrelevant pieces of information. This makes it easier to later recall information, helping us to skip the “repetition” component of standard learning.

HOWEVER, this comes with a warning label!! Our compulsive need to understand the WHY behind everything can get us in over our heads. Often, if an INTJ does not understand the reasoning behind a statement, the mind will “block” it as a survival mechanism. If one would choose to disregard this impulse and focus on it, it will eat at them until they finally 100% understand it. An INTJ’s single-goal-oriented perspective will make it nearly impossible for them to function with anything else during this time. This becomes less manageable the more specialized and advanced a topic becomes, often causing INTJ students immense amounts of distress.

Not necessarily quickly, just constantly, non-stop.

INTJs gather information on anything at all times. Not just “relevant” information, but all sorts.

INTJs are very good at pattern recognition, and tend to see what's there, not what they wish were there, which is what most people do. People tend to not realize that they project what they want to see onto Reality, rather than simply look at what's truly there.

INTJs are always quietly & honestly observing the world, trends, and people.

Therefore, when INTJs need to analyze anything, all the observations, stored patterns, and random stored information come together.

1. Emotions: You'd be hard-pressed to find an INTJ ready (and willing) to discuss how they feel. There are exceptions to this, however: When an INTJ does open up to another soul, said person should consider themselves an INTJ’s probable favorite human. You don't get to hear that every day.
2. Things they know little to nothing about: This is interesting, because while INTJs love to learn more (and master things new to them), one might find it unusual to see an INTJ not contributing much to the discussion other than listening and taking in information. They get animated discussing something they're passionate about, but prefer to take the backseat and just listen when discussions center around things they're not knowledgeable of.
3. Gossip: Yes, INTJs also enjoy talking about other people. But there's a definitive line that's drawn when discussions devolve into gossips. You might notice an INTJ slowly or immediately disengaging from the conversation once this happens.
4. Conversations that don't add value at all: Also known as small talks, these discussions just wear an INTJ off like a [expletive]. Discussions must have an objective. Ooh, INTJs LOVE reason. So any conversation that doesn't have a defined purpose shouldn't be pursued. (look for the patented INTJ face that seems to ask, “…aaaaand you're telling me this why?”)

While leveraging strengths is crucial for success, INTJs can benefit from addressing certain areas of growth:

1. Social Independence: INTJs can be excessively independent, especially socially. Engaging in collaborative projects requires teamwork. Overcoming our natural inclination towards isolation and viewing social interactions as skill-building opportunities can be beneficial.

2. Emotional Processing: Historically, I would bypass my emotions, either suppressing or ignoring them. However, with maturity, I've realized the importance of understanding and managing emotions. INTJs can sometimes overlook their feelings, but these emotions can offer valuable insights.

3. Communication Approach: Although many INTJs, including myself, appreciate direct and blunt communication, it's essential to recognize that not everyone feels the same way. There's room to soften our communication style to avoid inadvertently offending others with our straightforwardness.