alcoholism

Ennea – 9 LEVELS for Type #1

dmtorbi 12-step, ACoAs, al-anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, astrology, mental health, Psychotherapy, recovery, self growth, self-help

k13563295I WANT EVERYONE
to be perfect so I’ll be right!

PREVIOUS: Levels of Development – Intro (Part 4)

SITEs: “Personality & the Brain” / #1 Overview

 

LEVELS by TYPE
NOTE: Each type is divided into 9 levels of Psychological Health, 1= highest & 9=lowest. These are grouped into Healthy, Average & Unhealthy. Here is a summary of these sub-groups by Type, in broad strokes, based on Oscar Ichazo’s work.

TYPE 1 – REFORMERS / Perfectionist
Healthy Levels – Characterized by Acceptance & Wisdom. You lead others through integrity & reason.
Unhealthy Levels – Use Condemnation & Punishing behavior. Hindered by perfectionism and resentment.

HEALTHY 1s  “I am hard-working and ethical”
The Upstanding Citizen: accepting, conscientious, ethical, hard-working, objective, responsible & wise. Rational yet idealistic.
● Right Action overcomes the 1’s vice of anger & resentment, bringing you closer to your ideal of perfection. You have high standards, integrity, live by your values, are commitment to quality & don’t cut corners. You do more than is expected of you & finish most things you start.


AVERAGE 1s: “I maintain my spaces in an orderly way.”
The Perfectionist: clean, conscientious, neat, organized, punctual, responsible & try to live up to good moral standards
● The reformer / crusader ‘high-minded’ idealist – you’re hard on yourself, which ‘leaks out’ as resentment & being critical of people-places-things. Anger at ‘things being wrong’ makes it seem like you’re making headway in advancing what is right, but actually resentment brings yours internal world further from it. This tempting path can lead to an outcome which is unintentional and counter-productive.


UNHEALTHY 1s: “I am obsessive compulsive”
The Anal-Retentive: closed-minded, inflexible, obsessive-compulsive, overly traditional, self-righteous
● You’re ever more dogmatic, impersonal, intolerant, judgmental, moralizing, & can only see one ‘right way’ – yours.

 

 

Type 1 INTEGRATION

Type 1 LEVELSHealthy loop: The Basic Desire of ‘Needing to be Right’ leads 1s to seeking truth & do the right thing. When they do, the need is satisfied & balance is reached.

Average state: 1s don’t work as much to seek truth, so the need to be right increases. If 1s work hard toward their heart’s desire, balance is created.
Unhealthy loop is run by the Basic Fear of “being condemned”. This can make 1s condemn & correct others first, as a defense, which is not the right thing to do, further adding to their basic fear & prevents balance.

LENS you see the world thru: “I see what’s wrong & how it can be improved. I carry around an internal yardstick I use to measure myself & others.”
GROWTH: Stop correcting others & start examining yourself for ‘truth’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LEVEL 5 in BIZ (Mid-Average)
AS LEADERS
At this level – the best ONE leaders are conscientious & rock solid , having the end goal in mind
Enn- 4-6 LEVELSTHEY:
• are guided by the idea of quality control, because for them quality & control go hand in hand
• have a clear picture of the ‘correct’ result & the best way to get there
• tend to mandate & prescribe, keeping others on the designated track
• like to plan in detail & to follow it rigidly
• lead by executing this plan & assigning responsibility for each part
• find it hard to delegate responsibility, since they worry about getting the job done right
• have a tendency to correct others & often criticize instead of praise
• have usually risen thru the ranks, & so are able to see who the hard workers & team players are – or not

SUPERVISING Type 1 WORKERS
At this levels, 1s need a plan to work toward, so you can either form a strategy with them or let them make one for themselves – within the context of your project. As a leader you need to play by the rules with 1s & clearly explain what you want.  When you either praise a 1’s performance or discuss their work deficiencies, be specific & detailed
THEY:
— are very practical, reshaping abstract approaches into step-by-step procedures
— are devoted to being on a schedule, so in dealing with them – be on time. And if you make them late they will not easily forget or forgive
— need specific guidelines, so loopholes can be very disconcerting to them
— prefer DO-ing rather than feeling, & to focus on work rather than relationships
— need a great deal of structure in assignments & reports

As a worker – if your boss is a 1, find out how they like things done & do it that way. It will make your life a lot easier.     From: Global Leadership Foundation

NEXT: Levels of Type 2s

Ennea – LEVELS of Development Outlined (Part 4)

dmtorbi 12-step, ACoAs, al-anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, mental health, Psychotherapy, recovery, self growth, self-help

levels 4EVERY BIT OF KNOWLEDGE
helps me n my journey

PREVIOUS: Levels outlined – #3c

SITE: SAMPLE of “Enneagram Monthly” magazine

 

OVERVIEW : The movement thru the levels is a barometer of how much we’re attached to vs free from our Type’s fixed self-image. (Defects #1). People generally operate within a fixed range of levels throughout life. EXP: Earlier in life a person may have operated between levels 5 – 7, while later in life some maturity may raise them to levels 2 – 5.

The 9 Psychological Levels help us see/find:
1.  Our FALSE self – The physical, emotional & mental habits which prevent our ability to experience the Authentic Self:false self
— the emotional (Passion) & mental habits (Fixation) that shut down our heart, body, and mind
— The Basic & Secondary Fear that unconsciously drives our specific Personality Habits (weakness)
— The shadow side of each type – our defensive responses – while we imagine being open & present to reality, but are actually caught in the unconscious pattern of our ‘persona’.

2. Our AUTHENTIC Self – Path of growth & transformation for each typetrue self
— The tools we can use to awaken joy, spaciousness, clarity, intuitive knowing & deep connection with self/others, which comes from being less defended, more Present
— The practices available to each type to digest & transcend our defensive habits developed in childhood as a response to suffering

MOVING UP? – In a talk by Edward Morler “Integrating the Enneagram of Personality with the Levels of Emotional Maturity”, he stated that modern Enneagram theory regarding Levels of Emotional Health does not offer much in terms of how to move from one level to the next. (How each level deals with a problem in Part 2) (Morler articles)
HELPING: In terms of how a leader / therapist / teacher / minister…. can use this list to help improve someone’s life – once you’ve identified the level someone is presently at, you can try moving them up the scale ONE stage at a time, and only as far up as you are. EXP:
— When someone is in apathy (9), remind them of a reason to grieve (like seeing his mom in bed in a pathetic depression – reminding her of a house they once had and lost)
— When someone is grieving (8), bring up something anxiety-provoking (7) ….. until they’re in a much better place.

SOLVING – Steps to making changes when facing a problem:
1) Recognize the problem
2) Own the problem (“What am I contributing to this?”)
3) Forgive oneself, & acknowledge one’s positive contributions
4) Do something different.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CENTER of GRAVITY
SEE: ‘Ennea Strengths #2’ // ‘Centers of Consciousness – Basic Triads’ennea 2 halves
While we each has our own version of all 3 Centers (emotions, intellect, instinct), our personality has a center of gravity in one of them – our Type – which puts a specific ‘spin’ on the meaning of those 3 categories for each of us.  It is also useful to look at the chart divided vertically, because the Energy Centers (power sources /chakras) of the 2 sides do fundamentally different kinds of ‘growth work’. (MORE…..)

ctrs of gravityRIGHT side = the “lower” story – which relates to the physical, natural, mechanical forces. The dominant center of gravity is found at #4, the lower portion of the central nervous system plexus, located in the abdomen, below the navel

LEFT = the “upper” story – relating to the conscious, spiritual forces. Its center of gravity is found at #5, commonly referred to as the solar plexus, corresponds to the center of the spine, & heart energy position (MORE….)

“Human Types: Essence & the Enneagram” notes that tarot & playing deck of cards are basically symbols representing the characteristics of individuals. The Queen = the Emotion / King = Head / Jack = ‘Moving’. The 4 ACES, as the main function, represent the Centers of Gravity in a human type: Ace of Clubs = instinctive / Ace of Spades = moving / Ace of Hearts = emotional / Ace of Diamonds = intellectual functions

FROM Colin Blundell  (8/3/14) “A Permanent Center of Gravity”
What’s needed to have integrity? In the Gurdjieff canon it requires a permanent & well-formed center of gravity. The whole integrated I-system is pulled inside one’s Being & assimilated into what could be called Real-I.:

CHART: a graphic version  – the fragmented Self exists when the multiplicity of ‘I’s is not recognized, & so they don’t relate together. Only functioning on the periphery, they fight among themselves, & while they bicker continually we pretend to be Unified-I, which is senseless. As we begin to understand how multiple-I’s work & relate together we become more genuinely unified. When we choose to move from fragmented ‘I’ to normal ‘I’, as appropriate for the task at hand, & become a spectator of the constellations in Meta-I, a whole Integrated Self begins to emerge.”

“Right-work on oneself begins with the creation of a permanent center of gravity…. then everything else begins to be disposed and distributed in subordination to it… realization of the aimlessness & mechanicalness of everything can create a permanent center of gravity…” Ouspensky: In Search of the Miraculous (p.259)

NEXT: the 9 levels of each type – TYPE 1

Ennea – LEVELS of Development Outlined (Part 3c)

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levels 3c 

IT’S PAINFUL TO SEE
who I grew up with!

PREVIOUS: Levels of Development – part 3b

SITE: “Essential Wholeness: Integral Psychotherapy, Spiritual Awakening, and the Enneagram”- Eric Lyleson

 

UNHEALTHY (7-9) – ALL Types
LEVEL 7 – Violation
External Behaviors – We are dissipated, eccentric, empty, isolated, rejecting, unstable. We burn bridges & retreat
Internal Attitudes – We are guilt-ridden, impulsive, nihilistic – with dark fantasies & no expectations. We devalue, feel besieged but defenseless

Desire is To – cut off all connections with the world and people (“to hell with everything”)
Basic Fear of this Level – That the world is closing in on us

At Level 7, believing that life has violated us, we become so desperate to get our needs met that it turned inwardleads to terrifying behavior – we’re willing to harm ourselves & others, causing serious conflict & damage. We see ourselves as victims, which allows us to justify any offensive or abusive action.
● We tend to over-indulge in anything we think will eliminate our pain (food/drug/alcohol abuse, sex, exercise, self-cutting…), but since they’re just an escape from dealing with reality, they causes more suffering.
● We get highly dogmatic, intolerant, inflexible, self-righteous & very
judgmental. Tend to deal in absolutes, as if only we know “The Truth” & everyone else is wrong, while rationalizing our own destructive actions.
* * * *
LEVEL 8: Delusion & Compulsion
External Behaviors – We are erratic, sinister. They repel others & have chronic insomnia. Can become delirious, may hallucinate, project
Internal Attitudes – We are horrified, nauseous, manic-depressive, overheated, with weird perceptions. We distort reality, resist all help, become schizoid (withdrawn / separate)

Desire is To – endure / survive our terrors (staring into the abyss)schizoid
Basic Fear of this Level – That we can no longer defend ourselves from outside or inside influences

At Level 8 – Become obsessive about imperfection and the wrong-doing of others, although we may fall into those very actions, hypocritically doing the opposite of what we preach.

* * * * *
LEVEL 9: Pathological Destructiveness
External Behaviors – We are annihilating, ‘autistic’, deranged, paralyzed, self-annihilating, suicidal, with psychotic breaks
Internal Attitudes – We are imploded, internally chaotic, desperate for oblivion, split off. We feel panic-stricken & damned

Desire is To – leave “reality”, to eliminate all sensory input, to break away from any awarenessdestructive
Basic Fear of this Level – The basic fear comes true: we are helpless, incapable & useless

At Level 9 we condemn everyone, becoming punishing & cruel – to rid ourselves of “wrong-doers.” Severe depression, a nervous breakdown & suicide attempts are likely. Generally corresponds to the Obsessive-Compulsive and Depressive personality disorders.

* * * * * *
EXP: TYPE 5 person’s disintegration (re. school-shooting)
“On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza killed his mother, drove her car to Sandy Hook Elementary school where he gunned down 20 children and 7 adults before taking his own life.

It seems that Adam was a typical Enneagram #5 – highly intelligent, socially withdrawn with an inability to emotionally express himself.
• Pent up anger awaits a trigger.  Any Type follows a certain pattern as they deteriorate & Fives decide they need less and less of everything, including food, clothing, hygiene. They tend to become reductionists and worse, nihilists….”(MORE…..by Marcel Elfers)

NEXT : Levels of Development – part 4

Ennea – LEVELS of Development Outlined (Part 3b)

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levels 3b
I HATE BEING “AVERAGE”
but I’m working my way up!

PREVIOUS: Levels of Development #3a

BOOK: “Personality Types “~ Riso & Hudson (excerpt pages)


MEANING of the 3 Mental Health GROUPINGS (cont.)
AVERAGE (4-6) – ALL Types
LEVEL 4 – Imbalance
External Behaviors – We are non-conforming, dilettante or expert, we acquire technique, collect, delay closure, practice, prepare, study, withdraw
Internal Attitudes – We are acquisitive, abstracting, encyclopedic, knowledgeable, uncensored, uncertain. We analyze, build models, conceptualize & ‘fine tune’conforming

Desire is To – feel safer and more confident by retreating into our mind and imagination (like a Tinker Toy)
Basic Fear of this Level – That others will demand too much of us, & then our inner world will be threatened.

At Level 4, we become more attached to / identified with a self-image we’ve created, & tend to reject any of our qualities and actions not consistent with that ‘picture’. Protecting our self-image comes at the price of limiting our options. We now believe that by striving after the qualities listed at Level 2, we’ll be able to meet our needs. Dissatisfied with reality, we become high-minded idealists, thinking it’s up to us to improve everything & can become crusaders, critics, advocates. We get into “causes” & try to explain to others how things “ought” to be.
* * * *
LEVEL 5 – Inter-personal Control
External Behaviors – We are flighty, high-strung, impractical, interpreting, offbeat, preoccupied, secretive, speculative. We create fantasy worlds, compartmentalizing ourselves & the parts of our lives
Internal Attitudes – We are agitated, absent-minded, detached, distant, indiscriminate, intense – complexifying, minimizing & ignoring our needsrigid anxious

Desire is To – shut out intrusions (be more ‘in their head’)
Basic Fear of this Level – That others are attacking our niche or our competency

At Level 5 we’re afraid of making a mistake, so everything must be consistent with our ideals. Internally, we become orderly & well-organized, but emotionally constricted, impersonal & puritanical, rigidly keeping feelings and impulses in check. Often workaholics, can get anal-compulsive, fastidious, punctual & pedantic.

● The main strategy used with others is manipulating & controlling inter-personal relationships. We really insist that people accept our self-image, but unfortunately they don’t always respond the way we want, leading to tension and conflict.
● At this Level, we start to see the Shadow Issue of each type. As its name implies, this is a hidden element of our personality which represents the major defect each type needs to correct in order to grow.
* * * * *
LEVEL 6 – Over-compensation
External Behaviors – We are contentious, far-fetched, insensitive, prickly, scornful, submissive. We argue antagonize, provoke, rationalize
Internal Attitudes – We are cynical, extreme, greedy, impatient, intellectually arrogant, pessimistic, stingy. We distrust & jump to conclusionsuptight anxious

Desire is To – scare off anyone who threatens our niche or inner world
Basic Fear of this Level (red flag) – That we’re never going to find our place with people or in the world

Throughout the Levels, the strategies we use is an attempt to ‘manage’ underlying feelings of anger, shame, or fear.
At Level 6 we over-compensate for those emotions. We’re so desperate to have others accept our self-image that we act out in truly offensive ways – are abrasive, indignantly angry, moralize, scold.
● We’re highly critical both of self and others: judgmental, picky, perfectionistic. Impatient, never satisfied with anything unless it is done according to our prescriptions.
● Very opinionated about everything: correcting people and badgering them to “do the right thing” – as we see it.

From:  “The Everything Enneagram Book“ by Susan Reynolds
“While it’s true that part of your type is genetically predetermined, without question your early childhood experiences vastly affect your development.
The quality and style of parenting, in conjunction with environmental givens — health, income, education, location, and wealth or dearth of physical, emotional, or spiritual resources — have everything to do with your ability to function at the higher, the middle, or the lower spectrum of your EnneaType.

You began life whole, but whatever happened in your early life led to the development of a set of adaptive behaviors that suppressed your essence and created a self driven by its own self-constructed ego.ennea symbol
These traits are sustained by habit and the failure to examine your beliefs. If your childhood was particularly dysfunctional, your coping mechanisms will likely be more rigid and more neurotic than those people who had “normal” or idyllic upbringings. Fear grows in proportion to the dysfunction — the greater your early childhood family’s dysfunction the greater your underlying fear, anger, or need for relationship.”

NEXT: Levels of Development – part 3c

Ennea – LEVELS of Development Outlined (Part 3a)

dmtorbi 12-step, ACoAs, al-anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, mental health, Psychotherapy, recovery, self growth, self-help , , , , , ,

galaxy  

I WANT TO IMPROVE MY LEVEL
so I can live better

PREVIOUS: Healthy Levels (Part 2)

SITE: “Identity & Type”

 

ANALOGY: Psychological layers (like the Ennea-levels) are like layers of apparel – how we ‘clothe’ ourselves, but are not our Essence.
● Outer layer – what we present to the world – is like a man’s jacket. He can easily put it on or take it off, but it’s what he usually wears when he goes out. 3 levels
● Middle layer – how we are with our family & friends – is like his pants and shirt. He can take them off, but is not likely to do so and then walk down the street in his underwear.
● Inner layer – what we only show to the most intimate, or keep totally private – is like his underwear. He can easily take it off, but like most people, isn’t willing to walk naked through town. At home, he’ll first take off his jacket, later his pants and shirt, & will be naked when taking a shower. His clothes are what he uses, they’re not who he is.

MEANING of the 3 Mental Health GROUPINGS (see Part 2)
Everyone has the opportunity to go for the achievements or tackle the lessons of the various Levels, no matter which Type we are, but how we handle the tasks & demands of any given Level will depend on our Number.

Most often, people live within a certain continuum of consciousness they believe to be their ‘self’, anywhere from the clarity of ‘Presence’ (Level 1) to self-harming behaviors (9). In any given moment, we are more OR less Present, in contact with ‘Being’ (Human Being rather than a Human Do-ing). Presence distinguishes the Essential from the ego-self, the real from the illusory.

Starting in 1973, Don Riso observed that a person might be healthy (high-functioning), average (‘normal’), or unhealthy (destructive to self & others), depending on what was motivating him/her at any given time.
He also observed that while people’s basic Type tends to stay the same throughout life, the level they’re functioning from can fluctuate a great deal day-to-day, as well as over the years.

HEALTHY (1-3) – ALL Types
LEVEL 1 – Liberation level 1 optimal
External Behaviors – I’ve become compassionate, energetic, enraptured, knowing, pioneering, profound, revolutionary, visionary
Internal Attitudes – I’m awed, clear-minded, comprehending, immediately discerning, non-attached, participating, trusting

Self-Actualization – I let go of the identification with a particular self-image, & are separate from the environment (an outside observer)
Basic Fear of this LEVEL – Being helpless, incapable, overwhelmed, useless

At our best (no matter which Type) we become extraordinarily wise and discerning. We no longer see ourselves as limited & incomplete, having integrated qualities that were rejected at Level Two, & so truly come into balance with ourselves. When living from Level 1 we realize that we in fact DO possess what we were always looking for. By accepting what is, we become transcendentally realistic, knowing the best action to take in each moment. We are connected to ‘the Truth’ – humane, hopeful & an inspiration to others
* * * * *
LEVEL 2 – Psychological Capacity
External Behaviors – I’ve become aware, curious, clever, perceptive, playful, unusual
Internal Attitudes – I’m attentive, fascinated, have sensory acuity, objective, observant, unsentimentalcompetence
Desire is To – be capable & competent (have something to contribute)
Basic Fear of this Level – Of not being smart enough, since our intuition & perceptions aren’t strong enough to give us confidence.

At Level 2 we achieve the full potential that our ‘personality’ allows us, for the most part being very open-minded & tolerant. Although we have preferences at this level, we can act largely without bias. We recognize our gifts, talents & qualities – trusting them: we are conscientious, have strong personal convictions, an intense sense of right and wrong, with personal spiritual & moral values. Our desire is to be mature, moderate in all things rational, reasonable & self-disciplined.
* * * * *
LEVEL 3 – Social Value
External Behaviors – I’m communicative, creative, innovative, inventive, learning, original, skillful, tinkering
Internal Attitudes – I’m concentrating, exploratory, focused, independent, open-minded, patient, uncompromising, whimsicalsocial interest
Desire is To – master something in order to gain confidence & create a niche for ourselves
Basic Fear of this Level – not having anything of valuable to contribute (unprepared)

At Level 3 we form a stronger identification with our self-image, & want to share our talents & abilities, believing that they will have a positive impact on those around us. Extremely principled, we always want to be fair, objective & ethical: truth and justice are primary values. It’s no longer enough to just hold a certain picture of ourselves in order to stave off underlying anxieties. We also want to show others who we are – with personal integrity & a sense of responsibility – which reinforces our self-image. Having a higher purpose often leads to being teachers & ‘witnesses to the truth’.

NEXT: Levels of Development – “AVERAGE”

Ennea – LEVELS of Development Outlined (Part 2)

dmtorbi 12-step, ACoAs, al-anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, mental health, Psychotherapy, recovery, self growth, self-help

levels THE MORE INFORMATION I HAVE
the better I can understand others

PREVIOUS: Levels of Development outline

SITE: Rob Fitzel, Canadian engineer

 

 

OUTLINE
● Our Enneagram personality Type is guided by a basic desire, the driving motivation behind most of our behavior, staying largely the same (though sometimes distorted) throughout the levels.Ennea desires
The qualities of each LEVEL apply to every TYPE – within it’s unique style, no matter how different the types are from each other.
SEE: “Freudian Enneagram”, connecting his id/ ego / superego to the EnneaTypes. (scroll down)

NOTE: The right hand column of the 3-part chart below identifies the different categories of THE JOURNEY, in relation to how much Presence or Essence we are in contact with at the various levels. Presence is: “Living in direct connection with what is fundamental and most genuine in us, freed of the social and childhood conditioning which originally caused us to abandon or hide our truest nature.”

USING the Enneagram LEVELSEnn- 1-3 LEVELS
PERSONALLY:  Understanding the characteristics of each Level shows us how we can move up thru them to become more balanced, open, present, relaxed & to take healthy responsibility – by being self-aware & self-honest. Most importantly we can learn about acting in line with our deepest inner truth.

● If we apply our higher qualities to dealing with stressful people & situations – using respect, compassion, gentle honesty, kindness,…. problems tend to be resolved more easily & effectively, which helps us to grow & improve, by accessing more of our natural potential.

● If we only focus on the negative, staying in the middle levels (6-9) we’re more likely to be dishonest with ourselves, beat ourselves up, blame others, complain, be easily agitated, play victim, & generally act against our inner wisdom.

● If we deal with life’s problems mainly using the lower qualities of our type – such as avoidance, being irresponsible, blaming others, being harshly critical of ourselves & others – then things are likely to stay bad or get worse.

At WORK : It’s very useful to figure out what level bosses or employees are functioning on, since it make all the difference to performance & morale.

● Negatively – those factors will indicate the amount of competition, distrust, excessive conflict, individual rewards, job insecurity, lack of clear working agreements and stress/tension.

● Positively – those factors include appreciation, clarity of roles and goals, collective accountability, direct communication, having the tools to do the job right, trust & an overall sense of being able to make a difference.

EXAMPLE of the levels expressed
RESPONDING to a problem: from most mature to least (1—–>9): Level 1: Be a Leader –> be a Doer –> be a Coper –> be an Opposer –> be a Manipulator (most dangerous, a con artist pretending to be a doer) –> Level 9: be a Victim

DEALING with a problem: from most mature to least (1—>9):
Type 1: See the issue as an opportunity –>
Merely cope with it –> Be antagonistic towards it –> Be angry at it –> Be Passive-aggressive –> Fear it (of the potential loss) –> Be anxious about it –> Grieve –> Level 9: Sink into apathy, or Die  (Edward E. Morler, M.B.A., Ph.D)

NEXT: Levels outlined (Part 3a)

Ennea – LEVELS of Development Outlined (Part 1)

dmtorbi 12-step, ACoAs, al-anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, mental health, Psychotherapy, recovery, self growth, self-help , , ,

psych levels 

I’M AFRAID TO FIND OUT
what level I’m at!

PREVIOUS: Levels of development #1

SITE: Enneagram & Addiction

 


Psychological LEVELS
 Each of the nine Enneagram Types contains its own 9 levels/stages of possible psychological development, (don’t confuse Types & Levels), starting at the bottom: from the most destructive (level 9) to the healthiest (level 1) – see chart above. This categorization was developed by Don Riso in 1977, added to by Russ Hudson & used by Ken Wilber in the study of personal & cultural evolution.

● The Levels are a way of picturing the “skeletal” structure of each Type,
& account for differences between people of the same Number, as well as the shifts we see in ourselves & others over time. Moving upward on the scale means we become less bound by the limiting defense mechanisms of our type, to become truer to our Real Self, to be more present in the moment. Moving downward sinks us deeper into damage, increasing our distance from objective reality.

• Unless we know each Type well there can be confusion in identifying someone. People of the same Number may seem quite different from each other when coming from differing levels of mental / emotional health. And different Types can seem deceptively similar, depending on which stage they’re in. To identifying anyone correctly, the thing to focus on is the Passion, and listenlevels of developmeting to the way each type used language helps too.

● These stages are NOT fixed. The Level we act from can change even in the course of a day, based on feeling peaceful or stressed – usually to the one above or below our ‘normal’ level. Because levels are (potentially) fluid, it’s perfectly normal to do this depending on the situation.
— Anyone working on self-improvement will be able to move up one or two on a more permanent basis, with great effort, but most commonly we migrate from lower to higher & back down again throughout our life, while the majority stay in the mid range 4 to 6

— Very few people achieve level 1, altho some do touch it from time to time, & while they’re likely to slide back down, they usually stay in the 2 to 4 range.
— And no one drops from the uppermost levels to the bottom 3, especially not all at once, unless there is severe physical trauma to the brain, or long-term exposure to severe abuse.
EXP: This is what can happen to a happy well-adjusted child who is forced to endure repeated beatings, verbal assaults &/or sexual abuse, over a long time

OVERVIEW by RANGE: At each level, we use different strategies to reinforce our sense of self / ego-identity. NOTE: ‘ego’ = the created self-image. These divisions apply to everyone, no matter which Type one is.
LEVELs 1-2-3 : Healthyhigh achivement
Anyone who in the process of Self-actualizing (not 100% or all the time): high functioning & operating successfully, who can use admire-able / balanced / consistent, reliable ways of thinking & acting. There’s a sense of flow, being fully engaged with the task at hand, moving with little or no friction against the internal & external world.

a. INSIDE: Not strongly identified with their self-image. Are free to express & reinforce their identity, by acting in a manner consistent with the ‘persona’, as well as being able to let go of it when appropriate
b. OUTSIDE: At this level of High Performance, they see other people as valuable in their own right, with unique needs & tastes, separate from themselves, & can balance their needs with those of others.
● High-functioning people have a personality – it doesn’t have them

LEVELs 4, 5 & 6 : Average
Ego-driven people are neurotic but still functional, & can contribute to society, but are limited in averagesome specific way. They have a mix of productive & energy-sapping patterns.
● In this ‘normal’ range, people are generally self-centered, focused more on image – wanting to be seen in a certain way. They use social roles, manipulation & controlling others to reinforce their sense of self. They interact others mainly in terms of their own needs, with less concern for the needs of others. This can generate resistance & resentment toward them, but they don’t understand why.
● Average-range people believe they are their personality (“It’s just the way I am”)

LEVELs 7, 8 & 9 : Unhealthy
Unhealthy / Pathological people are already – or in the process of being – so out of control that they develop personality disorders such as being obsessive-compulsive, & may eventually lapse into psychosis. There is an increasing sense of ‘spinning their wheels’, heightened internal & external conflict, resistance, difficulties with the public….poor reportcard

● In this Acute/Chronic Stress range these people’s focus is so narrowed down to themselves that they can break with reality. Their self-image is completely different from how others see them, since they experience others mainly as objects rather than human beings, putting a great strain on all relationships
● For lower-functioning people, the personality has them & they just act out of it automatically.

NEXT: Levels outlined (Part 2)

What ACoAs Know & Don’t Know

dmtorbi 12-step, ACoAs, al-anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, coaching, mental health, Problem-Solving, Psychotherapy, recovery, self growth, self-help , , , , , , , , ,

SO MUCH TO KNOW –
I’ll never get it!

PREVIOUS: Ennea-Triads (3b)

SITE: Self-esteem – the problem behind the problem

 

ACoAs are some of the smartest, most intuitive people around.
We had to be – to survive our childhood!  But we:
a. don’t acknowledge it (taught to not trust our judgment)
b. are ashamed of it (taught to not think so highly of ourselves)
c. are missing basic, ‘normal’ info about ourselves & the world

1. LACK OF INFO
a. About Alcoholism in the family, denial. THAT:alcoholism
• they were drunk, or that their drinking effected us
• we were abused & neglected (abuse is perpetrated on one or more of the 4 levels: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual)
• we were molested, sexually or physically abused
• we carry deep pain, from all that abandonment
• their damage & our was not our fault or responsibility
• we don’t have to suffer any more
• we have a right to be here
• we can trust our intuition   -etc.

b. About Healthy Living
• what process actually is & how to use it
• what clear, sane thinking ‘sounds’ like
• that we have options & what they may be
• what we want to be / do, when we ‘grow up’ – some of us do
know, but are not allowed to go for it & we’re too scared to failno crisis
• how to live without constant crisis, abuse, anxiety
• that we don’t have to manipulate to get our needs met
• that we can take care of ourselves, if we grow a Healthy Adult
• how to be kind to our Inner Child – grow a Loving Parent!
• what mental health is  (see posts on ‘Recovery’)

c. General
• how the rest of world actually functions
• what reality is – mental, emotional, physical
• what to SAY to people when they say hurtful or outrageous things
what healthy people are like EXP: ACoAs think they don’t get angry, overwhelmed, make mistakes, love relationships…
• why other people do what they do (get away with things, are entitled, can function well…)

• what is NORMAL – which has 2 meanings:
i. the opposite of crazy.  Our S-H says we are crazy & everyone else is normal.  Yes, we do have distorted thinking, which can be corrected – but that doesn’t make us nuts.
It’s normal to: have emotions, to succeed via process, to mourn losses, to not get along with every one, all the time, to have some damage….

ii. what is average – for humans, & in your society
It’s about the behaviors & attitudes common to the majority. But in this meaning, normal is not always healthy! It’s what the norm was where you grew up, in your religion, in your neighborhood & school… 
SO – normal could have been – drinking to excess, physical danger, verbal abuse, insensitivity, lack of education…OR being up tight, having to succeed, always looking good, doing the ‘right thing’…
It’s normal to: laugh when someone gets hurt or makes a fool of themselves, to not help strangers in trouble, to stare at an accident on the street…
no happy reunion
a. Not possible or unlikely
• our parent to love us, unconditionally
• to be free of all pain & suffering
• to have relationships that never end
• to be liked & wanted by everyone, all the time
• to be a star, be famous, be adored, worshiped

b. Can be worked towards & accomplished
• diminish S-H & gain self-esteem
• be heard/ listened to/ get healthy attentionScreen Shot 2015-07-11 at 11.53.34 AM
• healthy friends & mates
• improved health & appearance
• an enjoyable career, creative outlets
• to belong & be accepted
• respected, treated well
• feel comfortable, safe, secure
• have fun, relax, enjoy life   – etc.

3. What ACoAs DO Know
• what really happened to us as kids (abuse, neglect, coercion, torture) – BUT don’t want admit or deal with
• some of the things we want in life – BUT are not allowed to have
• what we’ve learned and accomplished since we left home – BUT not allowed to admit or own it
• ALL the things we figured out on our own, as kids and as adult – BUT don’t value or validate, because of:
— S-H – we deserved anything bad that happened to us (then and now)chinese S-E
— shame – not allowed to have our need or our value our accomplishments
— lack of healthy mirroring – our real self wasn’t validated by our family, so we negate our natural abilities

➼ SELF-ESTEEM comes from validation & unconditional regard / love.
Validation means admitting what we know & learning what we don’t. Regard is being kind, patient & respectful toward ourselves. It’s never too late to have a happy life!

NEXT: Ennea Development Levels #1

Ennea: TRIAD EMOTIONS (Part 3a)

dmtorbi 12-step, ACoAs, al-anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, mental health, Psychotherapy, recovery, self growth, self-help , , , , , ,

ANGER triad
I FEEL SO MUCH ‘SAFER’
when I stay angry

PREVIOUS:

 Triad Emotions – 2b

BOOK: “Emotions and the Enneagram, Working Through Your Shadow Life Script” ~ Margaret Frings Keyes

 

891s – THE BODY / Instinctual Triad: Aggression and Repression
PHYSIOLOGY: this triad is associated with the brain stem (earliest developed part, also called “reptilian”), which controls motor movement, & connected with creative, sexual & bio-electric energy in the spinal column
FOCUS: this ‘Center of Intelligence” uses visceral responses to understand the world, typically responding first from the gut, a place of intuitive ‘feeling’-knowing**

ROOT Emotions: ANGER, Aggression, Resentment
RESPONSE : tend to act without having to stop to think, are oriented to action, using body-based intuition to deal with relationship issues
891 triad Es
POWER: is in the ability to instinctively take action
TIME: mainly in the present, since actions can only be in the now
UNDERSTAND Life: best when translated into physical activity or movement

**NOTE: In this context, it’s important to not confuse Feeling / Sensing (891s) with Sentiment (234s).
Feeling – is ‘background awareness’, spontaneously coming from deep within & so is more primitive, using bodily sensations, intuition, instinct… vs
Sentiment – the copy-cat show of the ‘Feeling’ triad, which is more surface, ‘skin deep’, based on energy picked up from the environment

◆ This triad has to do with muscle movement, & therefore ‘knowing through doing’. intuition helps them make correct, concrete decisions quickly & easily. They love to face reality head on AND rebel against injustice
But when resisting reality, but assuming there’s nothing wrong with them, then the resistance is held in various physical tensions (neck, lower back…..)

When stressed, processing verbal or written information can be slow, with trouble expressing themselves verbally:
— angry 8s will think in caricatures or temporarily blank out
— compulsive 1s tends to think only in black & white
— repressed 9s tend to get mentally fuzzy, or go into long ramblings

“MANAGING” ANGER
► EIGHTS – Challengers
Root: use anger to hide a tender vulnerability & childlike innocence, from growing up abused, controlled & exploited, & with one weak parent bullied by other,
Re. not being held/ supported: try to “hold” everything & everyone by forcefully taking charge (See Enn. Emotions, Part 1)

type 8 EsExpressing anger & aggression: externalize – acting automatically. They’re aware of anger consciously to an unmet need, or to present themselves as the ‘strongest’ one around.
They tend to bulldoze through life – letting their hostility out, then leaving others to “deal with it”. It’s their main way of getting what they want, & for coping with stresses or challenges.

Acting out anger: their emotion is obvious to everyone because they feel free to express it. When their anger starts building, they show it physically – raised voice, clenched fists, moving more forcefully…. When overcome with strong ‘animal instinct’, they react blindingly fast

In relationships: 8s are comfortable with anger & are known to ‘stir the pot’ to get a reaction from others as a way of engaging, but will gladly overpower anyone who will let them. They tend to be confident, confrontational, decisive, willful.

When boundary invaded, they react directly & forcefully to push away.
Reacting to underlying fear: afraid of being vulnerable to others, they’re driven to be self-reliant & strong, so they can often be thoughtless, even heartless

With an UNHEALTHY childhood – 8s can become bullies, delinquents or gang leaders… & eventually their adult counterparts.

With a HEALTHY childhood – 8s become hard-working volunteers, protectors of the underdog, inspiring class presidents…. & eventually competent, moral, strong leaders in corporate, government or religious arenas.
• The inherent positive emotion of 8s is an enthusiasm for life, moving into action & experience with their big energy.
• Their “virtue” or higher emotional state is innocence, approaching life without cynicism or blame – the 8’s version of open heartedness – willing to be receptive to whatever comes, & therefore be vulnerable, without being weak.

QUESTIONS to ask yourself for 891s

NEXT:  Ennea GUT Emotions (3b)

Ennea: TRIAD EMOTIONS (Part 2a)

dmtorbi 12-step, ACoAs, al-anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, mental health, Psychotherapy, recovery, self growth, self-help , , , ,

FEAR triad
I NEVER ADMIT TO ANYONE
that I’m deeply afraid inside

PREVIOUS: Triad Emotions (1b)


567s – THE HEAD / Thinking Triad: Fearful & Unsafe
PHYSIOLOGY: associated with the neo-cortex, most highly developed in humans
FOCUS: primarily use logical, left-brain intellect, tending to ignore heart & gut input
ROOT Emotions: FEAR, Anxiety, Dread

RESPONSE: from their head first, then act or not act
POWER: comes from the ability to think
TIME: mainly to the future – what they look forward to, good or bad
UNDERSTAND Life: best when translated into logic, sometimes in the form of rules & instructions

This group thinks AND creates much fear – via negative anticipation:567 triad -- fear
5s act too little, since too much time & effort is used to complete their thoughts before expressing them
6s deny the value of their thoughts & actions, flipping between extremes of too much – or – too little certainty, most out of touch with direct knowing
7s act too much and think too little or incompletely. Doesn’t stay with an idea long enough to see it through, so the Head Center’s optimal function – to completely understand – is aborted

◆ 5s & 7s (& some 6s) aren’t very focused on the outside world or on what others think – often seen to be distrustful, superficial or uninterested.  However, these surface reactions are defense mechanisms against their fear of being destroyed in some way by a frightening world.

567s look for reassurance in B & W facts. Even though this can often be a positive, it becomes a negative when ignoring intuition, emotions or actions – when dealing with problems – causing misunderstanding & conflict

◆ Their FEAR (not always experienced directly) creates a deep insecurity. Depending on the Type it’s expressed as  = ‘fear of failure’, = not doing the right thing, = missing good opportunities, & especially = not understanding what’s going on .
Since living in one’s head includes imagining, it can also include obsessive worry about what might happen.
When severely stressed, especially over a long time, fear can become panic, causing them come to a dead stop until they can get enough new info to proceed. (This is not the anxiety of the 234s, who react with impulsive activity).

“MANAGING” FEAR
► FIVES – Investigators
5s expect to run out of resources – so will hoard energy, info, money, time…. They assume they can deal with fear by constantly strategizing – as if honing skills enough will prepare them for anything scary ‘outside’

Relying on their first-rate thinking process to decipher what they consider an illogical world, ego-driven 5s can appear very cool, calm & collected – or secretive loners who focus their minds on the ‘nature of the universe’.
They hope that understanding reality in their own way will eventually allow them to rejoin the world, but they never believe they know enough to participate with total confidence. Instead, they get caught up with increasingly complex inner worlds. type 5 es

Root: 5s early violations & abandonments leads to considering the world as a scary place. Overwhelmed by emotions & life’s demands, they’re afraid of not knowing how to cope or not having enough facts to explain things

Express fear by: live in their head, rather than connecting with others. They may take time to consider their emotions, but later & in private – so there’s a time lag between an event & their response

Deal with fear by: retreating to the safety of their private space, accumulating as much knowledge as they possibly can, & mulling everything over to make (mental) order of it all. They’re often disconnected from daily life & their emotions, assuming that figuring everything out will free them of dread, without actually facing it.\

Respond to their fear: by collecting &/or hoarding money, possessions & energy tightly. Resentful of having their ‘space’ intruded on, they retreat from anything that make them anxious, into a private universe & only rely on themselves
Alleviate fear: by using their intellect to feel omniscience, looking for answers to life’s riddles in isolation

QUESTIONS to ask yourself (for Types 567)

NEXT: Triad Emotions (#2b) Types 6 & 7