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Charismatic and free-spirited. Being around an ENFP can be addictive if you love the things they stand for. However, an unhealthy ENFP can be a nightmare to deal with.

This article will discuss what you can expect from an unhealthy ENFP, how to spot one, and how to get out of the ENFP dark side.

Who is the Unhealthy ENFP?

This refers to the ENFP dark side. This is a situation where the ENFP starts to show toxic traits or behaves differently. Their behavior might change after a traumatic event or continuous emotional hurt.

This might include the death of a loved one, heartbreak from a partner or friend, betrayal, or just a string of unfortunate events.

When they are in this position, their behavior might seem shocking, surprising, or very negative. By knowing more about the ENFP dark side, you are in a better position to help them.

If you are an ENFP, knowing more about this will help you get out of it quicker.

Top Signs of an Unhealthy ENFP

1.    Passive-Aggressiveness

ENFPs are great conversationalists. They know how to express themselves and how they feel. This is probably down to their dominant extroverted intuition (Ne).

When they are unhealthy, ENFPs might abandon this trait. They start to keep more to themselves and become passive-aggressive.

This will be felt by their partners or friends who will wonder what they have done wrong. This is a sure sign of an unhealthy ENFP.

2.    Loss of Energy

ENFPs have a lot of energy. When they get excited or are passionate about an idea, it’s almost impossible to keep up with them.

When an ENFP is unhealthy, they lose that spark. Their energy levels are low and they just cannot push themselves to do the things they once loved doing.

If you have known the ENFP for a long time, they might look like a completely different person.

3.    Selfishness

Introverted feeling (Fi) is one of the most misunderstood cognitive functions in the MBTI. When healthy, ENFP uses this function to understand the pains and emotional trauma people feel.

They do this by putting themselves in their shoes. When unhealthy, ENFPs use Fi differently.

They become more concerned about their own interests. The “me” factor becomes very apparent. ENFPs will put themselves first before anything and anyone else when unhealthy.

4.    Manipulative

An unhealthy ENFP will want to get what they want at all costs. As you probably know, ENFPs are very persuasive. There’s a thin line between being persuasive and becoming manipulative.

An unhealthy ENFP crosses that line pretty quickly. They start to use people to reach their goals without a care in the world. Suddenly, the ENFP starts to look cruel and insensitive.

5.    Depression

This is one of the more obvious signs of the ENFP dark side. An ENFP will usually get depressed when sad or having faced a traumatic event.

This is a big sign that something is wrong. If you are going through depression, it is important you get help as soon as you can.

6.    Irrational

ENFPs are feelers. This means that they make decisions based on their emotions and personal values. This does not make them irrational. However, an unhealthy ENFP will be irrational.

They will make silly decisions and refuse to change their minds when proved wrong. Because the ENFP is also spontaneous and uses the perceiving function, these decisions will be reckless and destructive.

When unhealthy, ENFPs can dig themselves into a hole that they might never be able to come out from.

7.    Self-Absorbed/Narcissism

Narcissism is a problem that affects the unhealthy ENFP. They begin to feel entitled and start to see the world through their little bubble.

If this continues, they might start feeling that the world is against them or that they are special or unique. When this happens, they can get paranoid or become difficult to live with.

How to Get Out of the ENFP Dark Side

Are you seeing some of the signs that you might be unhealthy? Here are some pointers on how you can get out of the ENFP dark side.

1.    See a Therapist

This is the most important step. You should seek out a qualified therapist. That will help you sort out how you’re feeling. When choosing a therapist or psychologist, make sure that you are comfortable with them.

If you’ll like to meet one online, the online-therapy platform is a great place to start.

2.    Read more about ENFPs

Discovering more about your MBTI type is a good way to avoid getting too unhealthy. For example, we have a whole category dedicated to ENFPs. You can check that out.

When you know your strengths and your flaws, you won’t get overly weighed down by your mistakes.

Instead, you’ll focus on improving yourself.

3.    Learn About Your Enneagram Type

While the MBTI typology is extremely popular, there’s a lot to learn from the enneagram of personality. Better yet, understanding the correlation between the MBTI and enneagram can get you off to a great start.

When comparing the enneagrams to the MBTI, ENFPs are usually type 7, type 2, type 4, or type 3. So, those are great places to start.

4.    Talk to People About it

Another approach you can take is to talk to people. These can be your friends or family members. Just make sure it’s someone you trust and who listens to you.

By talking to others, you get some of it off your chest. You might also get some valuable advice along the way. So, give it a shot.

5.    Don’t Isolate Yourself

Finally, do not isolate yourself. It’s easy to do so when you’re feeling sad or depressed. However, isolation or detaching yourself will only make matters worse. The goal is to get out of the ENFP dark side and not slide further into it.

So, make an effort to spend time with others. You don’t have to strike up a conversation. Just being around people will be helpful.

We all will go through unhealthy periods in our life. It’s how we react that counts.