Each MBTI type has a natural stack of mental functions — ways of perceiving and judging the world. Normally these work together. But under stress, isolation, or burnout, the psyche can collapse into just two of them: your dominant and tertiary functions. These two can reinforce each other endlessly, cutting off your other capacities and pulling you deeper into a narrow, self-reinforcing pattern of thought. That's a cognitive loop.

Loops feel like being stuck. You might intellectualize without acting, feel deeply without thinking, chase sensation without reflection, or plan without ever executing. The loop isn\'t random — it's specific to your type, and once you know yours, you can start noticing when you're in it.