“Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental illness that causes people to have episodes of severe high and low moods. People who have this illness switch from feeling overly happy and energized to feeling very sad and vice versa. Because of the highs and the lows — or two poles of mood — the condition is referred to as “bipolar” disorder. In between episodes of mood swings, a person may experience normal moods.” (WebMD, 2013)
MBTI types are hard to relate to personality disorders, however by popular demand I have investigated which MBTI type is most likely to be bipolar.
Feeling types are more likely to be bipolar because they are more likely to behave irrationally when they are going through tough stages in life. This is often the cause of bipolar. They are more likely to go through emotional rollercoasters and mood swings, whereas thinking types can remain collected even at the worst of situations.
Extroverted perceiving types are also more likely to have unpredictable emotions that will change rapidly compared to introverted judgers who are more consistent. Sensor types are also more likely to be unpredictable in the moment compared with intuitive types. This means ESFP’s are most likely to be bipolar. But, how can we be sure?
Look at many famous actors and actresses, and musiscians. Many of them suffer from bipolar and many of them are ESFP’s. The combination of their personality type with the fame they have is sure to correlate with bipolar (although, keep in mind this is a disorder anybody can get.) But it isn’t just because they are celebrities; many other celebrities, such as sports players, who are predominately XSTP are far less likely to suffer from bipolar. This shows that people in jobs that ESFP have are more likely to get bipolar; therefore, it is likely that ESFP’s are most likely to be bipolar either because of the situations around them leading to bipolar or because of their personality type. Therefore, it can be concluded that ESFP’s are most likely to be bipolar.
What do you think? Leave your comment below 🙂
Which MBTI Type... 
ENFP’s also have a high chance of Bipolar!
Yep, I would say EXFP’s in general would have an increased likelihood of developing bipolar
Thanks for the insight into the bi-polar disorder and personality traits. It has answered a lot of unanswered questions I have had about my bi-polar disorder and why I have it. The question “Why” has been a heavy burden for me to carry so thanks for explaining it.
That’s okay- if you need anymore information let me know! 🙂
I’m a Cyclothymia Bipolar Extrovert Feeler Perciever hypnotist musician comedian with delusions of social grander. You will like me. It’s not even up to you.
N or S? 😛 I’m guessing N?!
INFPs are very prone to bipolar disorder. I’m an INTJ diagnosed with it.
What’s it like being an INTJ with bipolar?
Emotionally confusing.
Great post! However, I would like to correct a misconception—Thinking and Feeling are both “rational” functions, according to Jung. Feelers are not necessarily more likely to be “irrational,” but it does make sense that they would follow their emotions instead of supressing them. Being “unemotional” is an extremely undesirable state: not only would it cause anhedonia, which removes all motivation to do anything, but it also would severely damage rational decision-making (see this video by neuroscientist Antonio Damasio: http://youtu.be/1wup_K2WN0I).
Hmm I don’t think it matters. I’m an ENFJ with bipolar disorder. People can’t really tell if I’m extroverted or introverted.
I’m INTP/ENTP(moody), and i have this symptoms…sometimes i feels exicted, sometimes i feels depression…not from external cause, but from the internal…in happy time with other i could feels depression, in sad or grief moment i could feels happyly exicted.
i think i have this problem because of my parent treat. and i think my mom got this problem also
thankfully i aware this mental illness, so i know what to do next
“not from external cause, but from the internal…”
Sounds like Fi to me. You probably aren’t an XNTP. Rethink your type.
I’d think XXTPs and XXTJs have the highest chance of bipolar. As someone else already mentioned, Jung’s judging functions which includes Feeling, are rational, not irrational. Furthermore, because of the Thinker’s repression and lack of control of Feeling/Ethics based decisions(unconscious teritary and inferior feeling vs the more conscious dominant and aux functions), they’d be more-not less-susceptible to uncontrollable highs and lows.
Thinkers feel just as well and deeply as Feelers, what makes them different is how they use their feelings to make decisions and how conscious they are of the feelings/ethical options in the moment. They are not as well versed and fluent in the world of feeling and therefore more vulnerable to the pull of their ethical/emotional selves.
I’m an ENFP and bipolar…
I am an E/Infp in love with J. Probably slightly bipolar tendencies. ❤
I’m ENTJ and my dad is ISFP (I’m pretty sure) and we both are bipolar/manic type. Based on that and on the other comments here, I don’t think you can tie MBTI to bipolar very clearly. Although I used to think that Ns were more likely than S, since S’s are more “down to earth”.
Hmm… Well it is interesting because your dominant functions are Te Ni Se Fi and the ISFP’s are Fi Se Ni Te… do you think this might have something to do with it?
Just quit babbling on about cognitive functions already… Didn’t you hear Joel say that someone’s MBTI type isn’t tied to bipolar disorder that much? Sorry to break it to you, but bipolar isn’t black and white. There are so many things that non-bipolars will never know about. So they continue to say stupid things.
I think ENFP’s are most likely bipolar because people with manic depression have a great imagination which is characteristic of intuitive types.
That is a great point. I would agree their imaginations make Ne types highly likely to be bipolar as well. Thanks for your input 🙂
It’s usually genetics, but my mother is a bipolar ENFP.
It seems there is a stronger correlation between ENFP and bipolar than ESFP and bipolar
I think ENFPs are more likely to be bipolar because we are more sensitive than ESFPs. Of course, ESFP is up there too as far as sensitivity. But ESFP is very likely to take something you say as a joke. ENFPs are more moody. In my opinion.
Hi! My name is Bobbi and I have been diagnosed with bi polar disorder. I was interested to see my Myers-Briggs score and how it related to others. My score was ENTP. 67% Extrovert, 75% intuitive, 12% Thinking, and 33% perceiving. I thought you might be interested because I only fit two of the four letters and my N section is very strong. I was a collegiate athlete and now I currently own my own business, which may contribute to my N over S and T over F. Not sure. What do you think?
I think my mother is. She is so, so happy when she’s happy and such a raging bitch when she’s not. She is an ESFJ.
Any type with a mental disorder will occupy its dual type. Therefor INTJ is the bipolar type and they pose as ESFP. As an INTP personally when I’m going through hard times and not feeling good I like to do a lot of cooking/cleaning almost nonstop, but its for preparation not that I give a damn about those things in their own right.
I’m INTJ. Maybe that’s why I’m so much like an ESFP sometimes, especially when very stressed out.
enfp and bipolar here. yeah. that’s all! hello my fellow part-time troublemakers and lost dreamers.
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder not a personality disorder…
I have Bipolar disorder and I’m an INFJ although I only have a 1% preference for feeling over thinking
Also you can’t catch Bipolar disorder it’s Something that you are genetically predisposed too. Although you may not be aware of it until your first episode of mania or depression.
It also is a chemical imbalance and not really triggered by outside stimulation or situations.
Its really obvious that you don’t know anything about the illness you are writing about.
It sounds like you are talking about borderline personality disorder which is part of the cluster B personality disorders and not even in the same classification of mental illness types but even with that you can’t really just get it like a cold.
It’s the result of a person that experienced trama during their childhood and developed the disorder as a way of coping.
I have both BPD and bipolar disorder and I am an ESFP. But I agree that the author appears to be confusing the two
I’m an INTP with BP2. He doesn’t know anything about BP at all.
It’s not just chemical. Crises can lead to an episode which in turn creates a biochemical feedback – this happened to me. If the source of any so-called ‘mental illness’ was simply biochemical than medications would be much more effective and wouldn’t have horrible side effects like suicidal thoughts.
It’s not really a “chemical imbalance,” whatever that is supposed to mean (I know it’s a popular phrase from past decades). But otherwise, thanks for pointing out how ignorant the main article is.
S’s, I think not. N is requisite for going off the deep end. At least this has been my experience. ENFP, Bipolar 1.
I am an ESFP and bipolar for what it’s worth.
No, you’re wrong. Sorry.
I am an INTP and was diagnosed with Cyclothymia at age 12.
No no no, its horrible, esfps are not most likely to be bipolar, first of all people with bipolar disorder are more creative than general population (people with mood disorders in general) which is more Intuitive(N) than Sensing(S), University of Colorado Colorado spirngs made study about personality disorders, and depressive and mood disorders attract Introverted(I) and Thinking(T) types, and hypomania/mania attracts Preciving(P) and Extroverted(E) types so XNTPs are most likely to have bipolar disorser, and stop collecting data from celebrities, there are many famous people who had bipolar disorder like Isaac newton (INTP), Ludwig van Beethoven (INxP) and Ernest Hemingway (ESTP)
But nah I think N types are most likely to have bipolar, I think xNxx
This article is totally wrong. For a start Bipolar is a mood disorder not a personality trait I’m BP2 and an INTP. The author should not write about things he does not know about.
“Feeling types are more likely to be bipolar because they are more likely to behave irrationally when they are going through tough stages in life.” – Most people have a tendency to act irrationally under extreme stress – that’s not unique at all. Mood shifts due to Bipolar are different to this, they last longer and can happen out of the blue. Being Bipolar is a complex combination of chemical imbalances and life factors. You won’t develop BP unless you have predisposition towards it.
“Extroverted perceiving types are also more likely to have unpredictable emotions that will change rapidly compared to introverted judgers who are more consistent.” – I think you are referring to a different condition, that is Borderline Personality Disorder. Mood Shifts in BP can last days to weeks to months or even years. It is NOT a fleeting feeling AT ALL.
“Sensor types are also more likely to be unpredictable in the moment compared with intuitive types.” – Although people with BP can appear erratic, their behaviour is consistent with mood. I would never overspend, threaten people or binge eat if I wasn’t hypomanic. My baseline self is relatively logical and collected. Besides I’ve always thought intuitive types were more unpredictable.
Just because you think a bunch of celebrities being ESFP are BP, doesn’t make your hypothesis correct.
Enneagram theory is a typology system based on 9 personality types that is surprisingly accurate. Each of the 9 personalities has been correlated with a particular mental ‘illness’. Type 7, the Inspirer, is most similiar to ENFP in the MBTI. Interestingly, when a type 7 person becomes stressed and unwell they tend to become bipolar. I am ENFP and type 7 based on the Enneagram assessment and you guessed it, bipolar.
I have bipolar 2 and am an ENFP.
me too 😦
This is complete garbage. Feeling types are irrational? Tough times in life are the cause of bipolar disorder? Thinking types stay composed even in the worst situation?
Terminology is being used incorrectly and the broad/ sweeping stereotypes are a huge problem.
ENTP and diagnosed bipolar.
my ex bf is bipolar and ENTP
INFP according to the test each time I take it (but acting like a total ENFP in society and nobody around me believes I’m an introvert, so I guess I’m an actual ambivert…or just freaking bipolar)
I’m 28.5 years (the half counts!)
Bipolarity since the age of 17 (untreated)
Chronic depression since the age of 11
Anorexia between the age of 13-17
Bulimia between 17-23
Anxiety since childhood
Publishing misinformation about health problems is irresponsible. You should delete this article and rethink your approach to things in general, that is, if doing some good and avoiding ill in the world is more important to you than just drawing attention to your blog.
“Personality disorder” is a technical term, and so is “mood disorder.” Bipolar disorder is the latter, NOT the former as you stated. This is absolutely basic and your failure to get this straight indicates you have no clue what you’re talking about, and this is all the more dismaying considering that it has already been pointed out repeatedly in the comments and you have not fixed your article.
But not only do you not understand real science (which is not your forte), you don’t understand psychological type theory either (which supposedly is). You state, “Extroverted perceiving types are also more likely to have unpredictable emotions that will change rapidly compared to introverted judgers who are more consistent.” But this is nonsense, because if a type’s Perceiving function is extraverted, its Judging function is necessarily introverted (and vice versa of course). You are contrasting two groups that are by definition identical.