Healthy and Unhealthy Behavior Patterns of Enneagram 5

Every single individual in this world displays various characteristics in their behavior while dealing with different kinds of life challenges. The same thing applies to people with Enneagram 5 personality type. There are healthy and unhealthy behavior patterns of Enneagram 5, which play a significant role in creating their personality. Are you aware of your Enneagram personality type? If not, then you can go ahead and take the online personality test, the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Test to determine the same. If the result comes up as five, then based on your enneagram type, you can check out the details.

Enneagram 5s are investigators. When they are in their healthy state, the basic desire of these people is to work independently, nurture their critical ideas, and put those ideas into action to change the dynamics of this world.

On the other hand, when these individuals are unhappy with their life or turn out to be unhealthy, they will not keep any contact with society. Their outlook toward life becomes quite narrow.

Healthy and Unhealthy Behavior Patterns of Enneagram 5

The healthy and unhealthy behavior patterns of Enneagram 5 talk of contrasting characteristics in their personality. They usually crop up during favorable and unfavorable times of life. These changes come through due to changes in perspectives that they develop during life.  

The Enneagram of Personality portrays healthy and unhealthy levels of how the nine enneagram types function from time to time.

It indicates that your core Enneagram type would showcase normal levels of functioning. They will pursue all those things that raise a great level of interest in their minds. These people will work in such a way so that they can make a positive impact on people across society. The behavioral pattern will be perfectly in line with the primary one. It shows that the person has fully integrated themselves with their core Enneagram type.

When Enneagram 5 moves forward in the path of growth and development, they tend to portray features that one usually finds among people with Enneagram 8 personality type. In this situation, Fives develop much more confidence in their abilities and manage to make prudent decisions. At the time of disintegration, Enneagram Type Fives can show traits of Enneagram Type Seven. They will become hyperactive and fail to set their life in order.

It is now time to discuss the features of healthy and unhealthy behavior patterns of Enneagram 5 in detail. We will also talk of the behavior patterns of average enneagram 5s –

Healthy Enneagram 5s

Healthy Enneagram Fives are the ones who develop a new line of thought in their field of interest. They play a more role in transforming the mindset of people living in this society, hence bringing forth significant intellectual advancement. These Fives can easily relate themselves with those Myers and Briggs personality types carrying both judging and perceiving traits. When we investigate Briggs personality types and connect them with enneagram 5, they portray characteristics found in the combination of INTJ and INTP.

They no longer suffer from the fear of engaging with others. Hence, the fear of being useless allows an enneagram 5 to give away all the good stuff they have collected inside their minds back to society. Apart from this, these people also stay in their comfort zone, when they can share their time and energy with others.

In their healthy state, enneagram 5s do not suffer from the apprehension of getting overwhelmed or drained by external forces. They include people, changes in life situations, various other challenges, etc. Their positive approach makes them face everything with courage and confidence. Fives use their hardworking minds and develop the desire to cross the boundaries of traditional knowledge. They turn out to become visionaries in the true sense of the term.

Signs of healthy enneagram 5

Following are some of the signs that one can come across among healthy enneagram 5s –

• Healthy Fives approach the world in an open-minded manner. These people connect themselves to groups of meaningful friendships.
• They remain eager to acquire knowledge and develop a deep level of understanding of the world.
• These individuals maintain proper balance to make sure that this quality of theirs does not cause interference in their process of forging meaningful relationships.
• An Enneagram Five in its healthy form can easily communicate the requisite steps required for integrating their action to resolve complex problems.
• Their levels of interest and principles make them explore and attain expertise in different theories and topics.
• The wide range of interests they carry within themselves can often lead to the development of unconventional thoughts and ideas, hence testing their depth of knowledge.
• Healthy Enneagram Fives can make use of their intense observational skills to serve and connect with people in their surroundings.
• They have the willingness to share their viewpoints to serve the needs and requirements of others.
• These people show complete dedication and express curiosity for acting as catalysts for change and progress in society.
• Whatever seems impossible for others, turns out to be a possibility for Healthy Fives. Their confidence level allows them to face even the most adverse situations in their lives and convert those in their favor.
• They can easily explain nerve-racking topics to others with complete clarity. No amount of complication can disturb their confidence level.

Unhealthy Enneagram 5

When Enneagram 5s are unhealthy or not at their best, they could showcase traits that exist among Enneagram 7s. It indicates that they can convert themselves and develop new characteristics in their personality. This conversion can make them look for a diversion from their routine and attain different forms of pleasure. It is a sign that Fives no longer want to follow their daily routine of going deep inside various concepts of life.

An unhealthy Enneagram Type 5 will resort to arguments. They will become obsessed with radical thoughts. These people would try to force all their beliefs onto others. When fives reach unhealthy levels, they do not possess emotional intelligence but use their logic for making decisions. Hence, they fail to make emotional connections. Even then, they can indulge themselves in heated arguments which stem from their unwillingness to listen to others’ views.

As Fives possess an investigative mindset, they will not give up on their values and traditions in any situation. Hence, these people would never hesitate to ignore others’ feelings and do everything possible to prove their point. These people tend to flourish under those circumstances, which makes them use their intelligence.

Therefore, when they become unhealthy, it enables them to feel the need for using their intellect further. They get so absorbed in their thoughts that it does not let them make any connection with others. Gradually, they will lose their grip on reality. When the spirits of Enneagram Fives are at their lowest level, these individuals will lead a secluded life.

Signs of Unhealthy Enneagram 5

Following are some of the signs that one can come across among unhealthy enneagram 5s –

• Unhealthy Fives lead their lives in isolation. They always stay engrossed, nurturing various thoughts inside their mind.
• These people do not pay attention to solving pressures and anxieties, which do not allow them to engage in life actively.
• They become obsessed with the accumulation and development of ideas, which these individuals believe would help them attain competency.
• This tendency of theirs can even make them get lost in the nitty-gritty of knowledge.
• Unhealthy Enneagram Fives begin to neglect their responsibilities toward real life. They have no interest in keeping their relationships alive.
• These unhealthy versions of Enneagram Five do not maintain their requisite hygiene for maintaining good health.
• Enneagram Type Fives, who are not at their best, cannot manage the thoughts and feelings of other individuals. It happens because these people do have some control over their emotions.
• An unhealthy version of these fives depends on their thought patterns to help them make the right decisions in life.
• They will always be insensitive toward all those who belong to their peer group. These people would hardly make any attempt to show empathy toward all those who are suffering from problems.
• The cynical nature of these individuals makes their friends end relationships with an Unhealthy Five.

Average Enneagram 5s

Average Enneagram 5 personality type individuals are productive thinkers. Now and then, these people require someone to remind them. The remainder is about the fact that there are loads of things happening outside their brains. They try to understand the art of dancing to the tune of life. These individuals make close observations on various aspects they have no idea about.

Whenever things become overwhelming for them to handle, they take refuge in a place inside their mind, where they feel safe. As Fives prefer knowledge over anything else in life, they always try to build their whole identity around those things they know and have some insight to share with others.

Average enneagram 5s remain on the lookout for a niche wherein they can find their competency. These people believe attaining competency is the best way to become confident and enjoy their personal space.

Signs of Average Enneagram 5

Let us check out the signs that one can come across among average enneagram 5s –

• People with average enneagram five personality types are unconventional.
• They stay aloof from everyone in society and do not allow emotions to dictate terms in their life.
• These people might have some select abstract interests, which they do reveal in front of the public. Average 5s give the impression that they wish to maintain an aura about themselves wherein they will handle all kinds of challenges.
• These enneagram types have good command over their topics of interest. They love reading books so much that others give them the tag of a bookworm.
• During leisure hours, these Investigators connect with the different worlds they have built inside their minds. They let them get relief from the monotonous aspects of daily life.
• One who knows average enneagram 5s from close quarters will see these individuals remain engrossed in reading something that captures their attention, from the extensive collection of books.
•  These individuals also love to spend their time playing cards or board games for fun.

Final Words

We have discussed healthy, unhealthy, and average enneagram 5s with the kinds of behavioral patterns they portray while leading their life. Unhealthy Enneagram 5s showcase behavioral patterns that are opposite to healthy ones.

Finally, average enneagram 5s possess characteristics having a mix of healthy and unhealthy enneagram 5s. On the one hand, these individuals can spend time thinking of ideas inside their minds. On the other hand, they will not focus on things that matter and require their attention.