Personality types: Jung's model of typology - Inner City Books

The Clinical Significance of Extraversion and Introversion 105The originally superior attitude no longer functions reliablyand has become inferior. The break-up of the old system hasits physical consequences.The introvert becomes liable to sudden and dangerous infections.The excessive affect can disturb his metabolism soseriously that a highly dangerous, even pernicious, conditionmay arise. The danger comes from within: the introvert needsthe physician, for his life may be in danger.For the extravert also there is grave danger if he tries tomaintain his one-sided, outmoded, primary attitude. His adaptationto external reality is no longer reliable. Now he canhave accidents and be in need of the surgeon. The surgicalintervention needed will be serious, for the accidents that occurto a "decompensating extravert" are usually severe (car ormountaineering accidents).However it is not always the surgeon who has to help, asthe problem often impinges on the legal sphere. Blindness tothe subjective side and to the black shadow often lead himinto bankruptcy, swindling, and other delinquencies. Thus theextravert may endanger his life through an accident or stupidmisdemeanour. . . it does not need capital punishment to destroya life: prison or Borstal may do it equally well. 124This stage of development is critical. The introvert canevade the crisis by suicide. This occurs under pressure of asudden affect, panic at the power of the hated affect whichFrench physician Pierre Janet and adopted by Jung, indicates a lowering ofthe level of consciousness, such as occurs in depression, in sleep andthrough the use of alcohol or other drugs. In the current context it refers toa psychological situation in which the dominant attitude of consciousnesshas been defrocked, so to speak. See above, page 24.—D.S.]124 [Borstal is the name used in England for "correctional institute" or"reform school," a low-security place of confinement for juveniles in troublewith the law.—D.S.]