Is it possible to have 2 Personalities?

Arvid Walton 8 Comments

Izzat asked: Based on your research, Is it possible to have 2 personality types?

Are you familiar with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)? How about…Multiple Personality Disorder? The answer is yes, but not under normal circumstances.

Unless you have gone through massive levels of trauma– the answer to your question is no.

Also, your inquiry does beg the question of what is meant by “2 personalities,” because under certain definitions, we could include shadow functions as a second personality if you’re unhealthy enough.

Take Doctor House for instance. He’s an INTJ, but he’s so mentally unstable that he spends enough time in the hold of his shadow functions (ENTP) that he might as well have 2 personalities. This is the main reason that people mistype House.

Read this post if you haven’t yet.

8 thoughts on “Is it possible to have 2 Personalities?”

  1. Hi. Intellectually, I type as intp (I have also tested once as an intx). My intj spouse identified me as an interview (although now she’s stuck in a function loop, I belive, and considers herself an infj/infp). Socially and habitually, I type as istp-t. I get more energy from making things with my hands than I do from theorizing about new ideas. I love nature, but I’m not exceptionally athletic. I do very well with ballroom dance and martial arts. I seem to have an ideditic short term memory (if I see something done once, then I can duplicate the action with precision). Mind you, I haven’t actually learned the task. However, I could teach it to others for maybe an hour. Once I am able to commit it to long-term memory, I rarely forget how to do something. So, am I an intp or istp? My mind and body seem out of sync. I did experience some pretty severe childhood trauma (torture, molestation, physical violence, and extensive linguistic abuse sessions).

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  2. This came right on time. I am an INTJ. I’m vocal since I was a child (Te) and my close friends in school (only 2 of them anyway) who hardly see me nowadays (I left school 15 years ago) – still think I’m an extrovert. I am still vocal to this day. I’m always outgoing (selectively, only among those I’m comfortable with).

    These days, I had few circumstances (my expectation not being met due to other’s incompetency & stupidity which followed by string of lies) that blew me up where I think my Te is on top of the stack = ENTJ. So it is possible that the function switch during those circumstances?

    p/s: I’ve read this.
    https://mbtifiction.com/2015/04/29/xntj-contrast/

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    • It’s more likely that you would have gotten stuck in a function loop (where you’re using two of your functions much more than your two others) than actually switching functions.

      In an xNTJ, this would mean you’re either using your Te and Se more than your Ni Fi (or vice versa). Basically, all it means is that your functions are out of balance because of the way you’ve handled situations in your life –but I don’t have enough information about you to conclusively judge whether this is the case with you or not.

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      • Wow, now that brings me to function loop which I was not aware of before. Your response is highly appreciate that it is such an eye opener. You are right about my functions being out of balance because I know I’m practically using more of my Te and Se. In my line of work, I’m surrounded by bunch of Ti/Te and Si/Se users, that I can’t hardly share or enhance my dominant Ni (I always feel so out of place or sounded too idealistic) and my tertiary Fi is obviously suppressed (I am aware of my feelings but I have problems dealing with them). I’m elated when I found another dominant Ni and recognizing them particularly those with auxiliary Te, but most of the time they are with auxiliary Fe. :(

        How do I deal with my function loop now that I recognized them?

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  3. What kind of trauma can cause DID? Do you have any good sources on it? All I’ve really found solid info on is webMD.

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    • DID usually results from trauma experienced during the early developmental stages of childhood, the trauma in most cases being abuse, though it can be linked to other types of trauma as well.

      webMD is a good place to get basic information about it, but there are plenty of academic books on the topic if you really want to get a strong understanding of it.

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