As an INFJ, you process the world through Introverted Intuition (Ni) and Introverted Thinking (Ti): your mind naturally likes to conceptualize, philosophize, and create narratives to harmoniously make sense of the world around you. However, when navigating ADHD, this NiTi dynamic can cause you to get easily distracted from your present surroundings and drive you to overinvest your mental energy in theoretical ideas that become unhealthy distractions. 

Instead of moving forward with clear internal frameworks and insights, ADHD can cause your NiTi(+) to become hyper-stimulated—getting stuck in endless analysis, spending too much time on internal models that may have little practical value. This may decrease your productivity to get anything started. 

Additionally, you may find yourself struggling with sensory overwhelm and emotional burnout when the outside world feels too chaotic or demanding. Your Extraverted Sensing (Se) and Extraverted Feeling (Fe) are your outward-facing tools, but under ADHD, SeFe(-) can become overloaded—leading you to feel emotionally unstable and distractible when navigating social dynamics. 

But here’s the good news: your cognitive strengths are also the key to managing ADHD. With strategic insight and a few mindset shifts, you can harness your NiTi(+) and SeFe(-) to restore clarity and wise decision-making.

How to Use Your INFJ Cognition to Navigate ADHD

While ADHD challenges your NiTi(+) and SeFe(-) functions, these pairings can be reshaped to strengthen both your focus and emotional stability.

NiTi(+): Stay Anchored in Purposeful Insight

Your NiTi(+) excels at synthesizing patterns, building frameworks, and harmonizing complex problems at a deep level. It’s your natural zone for vision, logical understanding, and wisdom— all of which can help you navigate the distractible and impulsive drives from ADHD.

 

NiTi(+): "I must focus on developing personalized strategies to bring an ideal future for myself and others."

• Create An Inspirational Vision: Before diving into tasks, zoom out and reconnect with your long-term purpose. Identify a core goal that motivates you to be an inspiration to others. Your drive to motivate others will help motivate yourself to stay focused on your vision, rather than get lost in a sea of internal overanalysis.
• Simplify Complex Problems: When you feel overwhelmed, use NiTi to break tasks into micro-steps, rather than overcomplicate things. Frame each small action as a logical piece of the larger puzzle. This will make it easier to get started without feeling swamped.
• Stay Grounded In Your Personal Narrative: Check in with yourself every so often to update your personal narrative about your life circumstances. This can help create a sense of order, keeping you organized and motivated to adhere to what you have set out to do in the narrative yo have crafted for yourself. 

 

SeFe(-): Avoid Emotional Exhaustion from Sensory Overload

It's important to use SeFe(-) in healthy ways: allow it to keep you connected to your environment and relationships, but without letting external noise destabilize your inner focus.

SeFe(-): "I will block out distractions by seeking harmonious social environments."

• Seek Calm Sensory Environments: Too much clutter, noise, or movement can disrupt your inner stability. Curate your workspace with minimal distractions, soothing colors, and calming sounds to help Se work for you, not against you.
• Practice Emotional Self-Compassion: Your Fe naturally cares about how others feel, but ADHD can make you overly self-critical when you can’t meet every expectation. Regularly remind yourself that your worth is not tied to perfect performance.
• Stay In Touch With A Healthy Desire to Make an Impact: Your SeFe(-) prompts you to naturally feel motivated to inspire others and make a positive impact. Stay in touch with this desire in a healthy, balanced way, so that you are more motivated to engage with your surroundings, without becoming overstimulated, and without allowing your sense of emotional well-being dependent on your social impact.

 

ADHD Doesn’t Define You—You Have the Tools to Thrive

As an INFJ, you are naturally visionary, thoughtful, and driven to harmonize your surroundings in a logical way— all of which are essential to overcoming the destabilizing challenges ADHD presents. By using NiTi(+) to stay anchored in meaningful frameworks, and managing SeFe(-) to avoid emotional and sensory overwhelm, you can regain a sense of inner clarity, motivation, and peaceful forward movement.

Finally, cognitive fluidity allows each person—no matter what type—to harness different mindsets for overcoming the challenges of ADHD. While the wellness mindsets of NiTi(+) and SeFe(-) are most likely to be helpful for INFJs, it is possible that the wellness mindsets of other types might help you too. If you are an INFJ, you may find it helpful to first tap into the wellness mindsets of NiTi(+) and SeFe(-), then subsequently learn from the wellness mindsets of other types:

Mindset Quotes to Navigate ADHD

 

ESTP (SeFe)

 

SeFe(+): I must focus on one activity at a time, addressing one person at a time

NiTi(-): I will block out distractions by developing my own strategic method to achieve the outcomes I want

 

ESFP (SeTe)

 

SeTe(+): I must focus on one activity at a time, following through with all expected tasks for each activity before moving onto the next

NiFi(-): I will block out distractions by developing a way to make the task fun for myself

 

ENTP (NeFe)

 

NeFe(+): I must consider all the tasks and people I must address, then address only the highest priority tasks and people 

SiTi(-): I will block out distractions by remembering each task and person I must address, and meticulously completing each one before moving onto the next

 

ENFP (NeTe)

 

NeTe(+): I must consider all work I need to do, then develop a schedule to complete all of it

SiFi(-): I will block out distractions by motivating myself to develop and adhere to specific deadlines throughout my schedule 

 

ISTJ (SiFi)

 

SiFi(+): I must focus on being diligent and motivated for the work I’m doing. 

NeTe(-): I will block out distractions by identifying things in my environment that can potentially offset my focus, then find ways to guard against them. 

 

ISFJ (SiTi)

 

SiTi(+): I must focus on being diligent and meticulous in the work that I do for others.

NeFe(-): I will block out distractions by identifying people in my environment whom I might encounter, and guard against the possible distractions that they might cause me.

 

INTJ (NiFi)

 

NiFi(+): I must focus on developing plans to achieve the goals that matter to me, and motivating myself to follow through with them. 

SeTe(-): I will block out distractions by finding ways to make concrete tasks less tedious and more straightforward.  

 

INFJ (NiTi)

 

NiTi(+): I must focus on developing personalized strategies to bring an ideal future for myself and others.

SeFe(-): I will block out distractions by seeking harmonious social environments.   

 

ESTJ (TeNe)

 

TeNe(+): I must focus on addressing a diverse array of tasks to meet certain standards. 

FiSi(-): I will block out distractions by developing an enjoyable routine to adhere to. 

 

ENTJ (TeSe)

 

TeSe(+): I must focus on developing an agenda and completing each task to fulfill it. 

FiNi(-): I will block out distractions by staying motivated for the goal I’m aiming for. 

 

ESFJ (FeNe)

 

FeNe(+): I must focus on diverse tasks I need to do to make a positive impact on others. 

TiSi(-): I will block out distractions by developing a personalized strategy to address specific criteria. 

 

ENFJ (FeSe)

 

FeSe(+): I must focus on specific tasks I need to do to make a positive impact on others. 

TiNi(-): I will block out distractions by developing a personalized strategy to ensure certain goals are met. 

 

ISTP (TiNi)

 

TiNi(+): I must focus on developing a personalized strategy to make my vision a reality. 

FeSe(-): I will block out distractions by ensuring I have positive interactions with the people I must deal with. 

 

INTP (TiSi)

 

TiSi(+): I must focus on developing a personalized strategy to accomplish different tasks, using skills I’m most familiar with.

FeNe(-): I will block out distractions by ensuring I make a positive impact for a broad group of people. 

 

ISFP (FiNi)

 

FiNi(+): I must focus on accomplishing goals that will make me happy. 

TeSe(-): I will block out distractions by staying engaged with one task at a time. 

 

INFP (FiSi)

 

FiSi(+): I must focus on adhering to habits that will keep me happy. 

TeNe(-): I will block out distractions by identifying the diverse array of tasks I need to do and addressing the ones with highest priority.

 

To further explore the above cognitive mindsets and how they can help each type combat ADHD, check out: Cognitive Wellness Coaching

Email mdalson@myvirtualphysician.com for more information!