Introverts vs Extroverts

Personally I do not think that introversion or extroversion has much to do with one's success with the Aneros. I think that a burning desire or even horniness for the Aneros makes all the difference in the world for Aneros success! 😀 😀 😉

Thom./BigGlansDC

I wasn't sure how to vote in terms of success - I have very pleasurable sessions, but no dry Os, mini Os, or Super Os yet after a couple years. But definitely a lot better than when I first started. Anyway, relative to some people here I figured I should vote "not much" but it's really somewhere in the middle for me.

And I am an introvert.

I suspect that there is a greater likelihood that introverts would be more introspective; thinking and feeling at length on the nature of this process, and how things could be improved. Not being drained by being on one's own, is the hallmark of an introvert - and this would seem to be a necessary prerequisite to relaxing when using an aneros. Extroverts seem to gain energy from being with others, or at least stimulated by outside influences, but are drained by being on their own and in their own heads for too long.

A big word of warning though, is that we should think of extroversion and introversion on a continuous scale from one extreme to the other. We will all have elements of both. Jung, who came up with the concept, said that to be all extrovert or all introvert was impossible in any normal circumstances, and if we could achieve it, we'd be mad. Introversion or extroversion is decided by the orientation of one's dominant cognitive function, and we will have one other introverted function, and 2 extroverted functions as well.

Whilst introversion and extroversion are likely to be a part of success with the aneros, there are also likely to be other psychological (and other) factors involved:

Fellow member and all-round nice-guy, Rook, had a thread, which urged us to look at our Myers-Briggs Type, stating that if you had an F and a P for the last 2 letters of the 4-letter code for your type, then you are more likely to be open to success with the aneros (I am an INFJ - I for introversion, N for intuition, F for feeling, and J for judging, - and with the following cognitive functions - dominant introverted intuition, secondary extroverted feeling, tertiary introverted thinking, and inferior extrovert sensing). I do think that the J in my type has slowed my progress, since it means that I prefer closure, rather than things being left open ended, and the latter is essential in our voyage of discovery with the aneros.

However on the plus side, I have dominant introverted intuition, that enables me to follow an interest on and on - getting to answers and conclusions as if by magic. Intuition works by finding patterns, and developing abstract concepts. This is combined with secondary extrovert feeling that gives me a good ability to arouse myself, by remembering how something feels - even the memory of how my last dry orgasm with my aneros felt, will turn me on now.

Intuition is valuable in this process - I don't know how I come to conclusions about where to go with this, or what to do, but I do. If I was a dominant sensor instead, preferring concrete facts over abstract concepts, I am sure that I might find this a bit too much to contemplate. None of my sensing friends have stuck with the aneros, but a good number of my intuitive friends have, although I wouldn't say that sensing precludes success with the aneros, as Rook (an ESTJ) would concur.

Does anyone else out there have any ideas about the effect of cognitive functions and Myers-Briggs type upon aneros success? Also of relevance may be the Keirsey Temperaments (NF, NT, SJ, SP), with 4 related Myers-Briggs types in each temperament, that share similar approaches to life.

it's good to hear someone else who is interested in Jung's work at I am. I've read much of his writings and some of his disciples' as well, attended classes just out of interest in the Boston Jung Institute, and attended a group analytical psychology dream therapy with a practitioner. However I know next to nothing about Myers-Briggs. Do you have any good reference book to recommend? At one point I lost interest but now that I'm well into the 2nd half of my life, I may take another look.

As for the poll question, like someone else I'm introverted but have had some success with the aneros. I'm limited by my inhibited sexual fantasy life. I get extreme pleasure waves that go nowhere and I have these microscopic anal contractions when I do manage to get into a sexual fantasy but am unable to keep them going or to amplify. They're like tiny tape worms squirming around in my anal canal. Maybe if I reimagine this sensation as a hot man wiggling his finger up there or some other part of his body rather than worms, I could get past that.

So I don't know what kind of introvert I am according to MB. All I remember Jung writing about is the four primary functions, sensation, intuition, thinking and... wait, I'm having a senior moment. Can't recall the last function.

Myers- Briggs:
Plenty of info on the web and remember, 'Google is your friend.' Many of the sites have 'sample' inventory tools that can be completed in just a few minutes. Avoid the sites that ask for a donation or payment for an "analysis of the findings."
Keep in mind that this is a screening tool seems to work well for application in the H.R., Group Dynamics or Management arenas. I think though that the results might be indicative of how quickly beginning Anerosians will accept what is happening in their bodies and brains. I've used it to show graduate students that the most effective work groups seem to have a broad cross section of personality traits.
Enjoy!

I'm a massive introvert (I get max scores on Jungian tests) and haven't had a super-O yet after 2.5 years (though I'm not discouraged since I've made some headway lately).
That being said, I was diagnosed with ADHD, which I think may have a bigger impact on my lack of success. I have trouble relaxing and focusing on the feelings because my mind tends to drift onto various topics instead. I'd like to see a similar poll focusing on ADHD.

@ Bunkercake - I haven't had something I would regard as a super O either, but I have had some wonderful sessions with my aneros. Like I said in my last post - there may be other Jungian cognitive functions that have an influence here. In Myers-Briggs terms, the J has definitely slowed my progress, whilst the F has not. Myers-Briggs will not encompass most psychiatric disorders though, with the exception of a tendancy to mild depression being one that I have noticed.

@ euphemistic - I think that a good start is the Myers-Briggs website http://www.myersbriggs.org/
As Rook suggests, there is a lot of information out there in Google land, and I have found various youtube channels to be very helpful, including nfgeeks, DaveSuperPowers, and DoctorJuice. Be aware that the internet tests are not flawless - I was originally classified as an INFP, but reading around the types led me to INFJ instead. The humanmetrics test http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp was the only one that got me right, but it mistyped my partner as an ESFJ rather than an ENFJ (easy enough to do, since the dominant and inferior cognitive functions are the same). Recently, I have used David Keirsey's temperament sorter and type sorter, from his book "Please Understand Me II", and found them much more reliable, though I suspect that even they may not be entirely flawless.

Linum, I read a little about M-B and think it is a good way in general to organize and conceptualize one's personality, temperament, whatever you want to call what describes your outlook and tendencies. I've never taken the test but was reminded of it by my brother-in-law the week before last. He knows of it because he's in business and thinks highly of it. However he added that Jung was, of course, a Nazi. I corrected him on that.

Jung' s typology theories were the one area that bored me so I didn't get past the four primary cognitive functions, sensations, emotions, thinking and intuition. I still use these basic categories to think about myself and the people around me. As for M-B I found on the internet that there isn't much research that validates it. I suppose it is useful to get a group of people talking about how they may differ in the way they see the world, though.

I would say that I'm an introvert with thinking and intuition conscious functions and sensations and emotions, unconscious. I've developed my emotional side over the years and have been working on the sensation side more recently.What this tells me about myself is that I mostly live in my head but have integrated my unconscious emotional side. Aneros use has opened up a sensation realm that I didn't know existed and I'm just now exploring and bringing to consciousness. So in the second half of my life I'm attending to my individuation. Actually when I think about it, I have learned something or at least got a handle on a complex situation.

I think the big thing is to look for ways to work within one's own set of assets and qualities to develop and exend physical or mental qualities that build on what you have. IOW, don't be snowed by that "J" on the tail of your Myers-Briggs.

I was lucky in that I could reflect upon the tid-bits of wisdom that I heard from a Japanese g/f years ago. Many of her words and sayings had gone unappreciated at the time but as I began to read of Shinto and adopt some soto zen into my meditations I was able to soften some of my exterior with it's "varnished" Christian surface.

This is a bit like a sperm penetrating an egg. The egg's shell has to be softened up a bit before the penetration can occur--it sometimes takes multiple attempts before "magic" happens.

To quote Arctic Wolves, "NEVER GIVE UP"

I would say im mostly an introvert but was forced to embrace some extrovert qualities to start and run my business. I was very uncomfortable about it for years but now its just plain ordinary for me now. The poll question seems a little unfair since there is no middle ground. I feel i have had success with aneros use and things keep getting better and better two years into this journey. I wouldnt say I have reached great success with the devices as of yet, but the future has not yet been written.

@ ineverknew - "The poll question seems a little unfair since there is no middle ground"

In a sense, the fact that you have learned to extrovert for the sake of your business, will not have changed your innate preference for introversion. I am an introvert for sure, but I too learned to extrovert, only it wears me out quite quickly, whereas my introvert periods do not. INFJs are known as some of the most extrovert of the introverts - but deep down I am still an introvert. I get energy from my introvert periods, whereas too much extroverting drains me. I can do it - but just for finite periods of time. If I had to choose, I would go for the introversion, and not the extroversion, but life isn't like that - we have obligations, and even introverts like a modest amount of socialising - "no man an island" and all that.

@linum, i agree! Being an extrovert is draining!

As with many things, I am introvert AND extrovert.
Whoever invented polls wasn't thinking about me. LOL

@Linum, then you would be a "natural" introvert despite you're learned extroversion. There is no "natural" or "natal" middleground, granted the pole didn't specify if it wanted natural or not.

As for me i am the very definition of an introvert and a hermit or recluse though of course I have learned to be an extrovert when need be just like every other introvert. If we didn't learn we'd never get anything done.

@Trei - yes - I am a natural introvert. I find I am becoming more introverted as I get older, and am increasingly reluctant to extrovert on demand.

Since I wrote my original post in this thread, I now prefer to say I am an occasionally out-going introvert - seems much less confusing than an introvert who extroverts. I never extrovert, since I am never energised by other people, or by social situations, or things outside my own head. I do enjoy being out-going occasionally, but I DO find it exhausting - I need my alone-time afterwards to re-energise.

There are some interesting results in the poll.

Reading you all reinforces my realization... I really am switching between both with pretty long phases. It is like in my introversion phases I go to such extremes I suddenly need to go to others and most of the times this too goes in excess, being excessively energized by the exchange with the others... until I can't take it anymore (it is not unusual that others are fed up with me even before lol)... Suddenly i will be appalled by social interaction... Refuse to answer calls... And the circle goes again. There doesn't seem to be either a middle ground or a dominant trait... Just this constant switch... Tests like MBTI give inconsistent results. I really identify and am indentified as inteovert... then later as extrovert... Deep down I always thought I was an introvert... But it might be the contrary... As i identify my introvert phases as unhealthy and my extrovert as healthier (even though a bit excessive).

I also identify as fully male and fully female (constantly switching too)... This all was confusing until I realised this may be normal afterall. It takes time to adapt but I feel good that way.