r/istp•
vampirepunk06

Struggling to tell if I’m an ISTP or INTP???

Questions and Advice

For the longest time, I believed I was an INTP until I did more research and talked to people and based on how I’d describe myself, they strongly believed I was actually an ISTP. To make things easier I’ll explain things in bullet points

• I am very prone to overthinking, can be scatterbrained, and am distractible, which is usually associated with Ne. But, I also really hate being distracted, especially if I’m super focused on something (in that case I have a bit of a “I need to get this done NOW and will be upset if I don’t” attitude). I’d say these traits are heavily influenced by my ADHD, and they make me very uncomfortable.
• I have a multitude of interests, and some of them are not conventional for ISTPs (for example I am very into astrology and the occult, but I think my Ni probably plays a role in that?). I tend to hyperfixate on a lot of things thanks to my ADHD, but because of my autism there are a couple interests that have stuck with me for years that are much more personal for me/special interests (music and science).
• I do really love learning about theories, but I think my interest in them depends on how personally plausible they sound to me. I do generally prefer evidence to back things up and don’t care if a theory is ‘popular’ or whatever. I’ll decide for myself if it seems like it makes sense.
• I am pretty sensory seeking, but it’s also easy for me to become very overwhelmed by lots of sensory input.
• I have very poor fine motor skills, and my gross motor skills are also negatively impacted due to my disabilities. So, I don’t really fit the stereotype that ISTPs are sporty and/or very good at hands-on things. I am very fascinated by mechanics though and how things work internally (I’m into medical science, science in general, and originally majored in veterinary medicine, but I’m also interested in sound engineering/music technology). The only sport I care for is ice skating. If my motor skills were better, I’d love to do a lot more hands-on things.
• I am extremely creative and tend to think about other possibilities a lot, but when I do think about other possibilities, it makes me extremely overwhelmed, especially if they are possible for me. I also like new experiences, but it depends. I like knowing what to expect for the most part and don’t like surprises, and I prefer experiencing things that are actually possible for me (though I am prone to daydreaming). I get very frustrated if I’m not immediately good at something.
• I do tend to be more detail-oriented. I love analyzing things, especially when it comes to analyzing physical things like cinematography and art, but I also love analyzing literature. I’m very into literature.

Some other things to consider:
• I have diagnosed ADHD and autism, both impact me pretty significantly and make things confusing at times.
• My enneagram is 6w7, I’m not sure if that can affect things as well.

Posted Sep 30, 2026, 3:51 AM UTC

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