This article will take a look at the type 2 enneagram which is also known at the ‘Helper’ and describe its fears and desires as well as major traits that are especially related to it’s helping behaviour. All in all, the article will explain why this enneagram is called ‘The Helper’.
The Helper Enneagram – Type 2s
The type 2 enneagram is called ‘The Helper’ because of their traits that are mainly focused on the people around them. They strongly desire to be loved; this desire is so strong that they sometimes forgo their own needs to satisfy those of others and hence gain their recognition, love and happiness. This gives them immense satisfaction and happiness in return.
The type 2 enneagram is called the helper because they put other people first and ignore their own needs – although this aligns with their long term goals of becoming a priority in the other person’s life, they do suffer because they oftentimes neglect their own feelings and needs just to keep the other person happy. They don’t even let the other person feel as if they have any needs because they want to focus on that other special person and ensure they help them and not anyone else.
To do this, the type 2 enneagram has a number of traits that truly describe them as a helper who wants to make things easy for other people and ensure things flow smoothly for them.
Here are the traits they possess that truly make the type 2 enneagram a helper:
- Genuine Listener: This enneagram knows how important it is to listen before you can actually help someone. They are good listeners who pay full attention to the other person and ensure they understand things from their perspective and not their own. They have great qualities like not cutting the person while they are speaking, showing them that they are listening and are of course concerned as well as restating what they have said at the appropriate time to show them they truly understand.
- Puts The Other Person First: Helpers are people who put others first. They will put their own needs behind and make sure they take care of the other person’s problems first. This is important because if a person focuses on their own problems it is likely that they will not get out of them.
- Generous: The type 2 enneagram is usually very generous. They will offer whatever resources they have to the other person without any hesitation.
- People Pleaser: Yes this type of enneagram can become a bit sticky because they want to please others at any cost.
Let us introduce the type 2 enneagram in more detail to the audience so they can have a more in depth understanding of this particular enneagram.
Who Is An Enneagram Type 2?
An enneagram type 2 is also known as the Helper because of their desire to help others and make their tasks easier or remove any burden upon them. They are very caring and have great interpersonal skills that allow them to interact with people to help them and understand their situation and needs. Personality traits used to describe type 2s include possessive, demonstrative, helpful and people pleasing.
People with this type are very empathetic and have profound emotional intelligence thus it makes them more approachable and appealing to people who are in need of help and find it difficult to ask. They are friendly, generous and self sacrificing hence they overlook their own needs to fulfill those of others!
However, such closeness with others results in feelings of possessiveness. Also, they force their own self to forgo their feelings and need to make sure they are available to others for help; this may seem pretty good in the short term but they will end up pretty frustrated in the long run and their feelings may erupt like a huge volcano does!
Basic Fear.
Type enneagrams are scared they will be left alone and unloved. They want to belong somewhere, especially in someone’s heart. They feel that the only way they can do this is to feel worthy. How do they feel worthy? Well they have this innate core belief that they must be helpful in some way to another person – they must be able to help them get work done, provide the resources they need or be there for them in their difficult times.
This is why such people are often in the pursuit of trying to get close to others to find out how they can be of use to them! They will sometimes be too nosy and may become a source of irritability for others as they wonder why they are always around them!
If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.
Basic Desire.
The desire of enneagram type 2s stems from their fear that they will be left alone and unloved. Also, they feel they will be worthless not only in their own eyes but those of others too. Hence they want to be in a position where they can help other people and they will strive persistently to do so. They want to be recognized and appreciated for the help they provide and also be loved in return. This is the basic desire of enneagram type 2s that drives them to work hard to become close to others – a bit too close sometimes!
Tips On How To Reach Their Healthy State – Type 2s
In this section we will look at how the type 2 enneagram can reach their healthy state. This is necessary because they sometimes go overboard with their helping behaviour. Not only do they tire themselves out but they also do not give the other person room to breathe. Thus it is necessary for them to adopt some practices or habits that will allow them to live a more healthy lifestyle for their own sake as well as that of others.
Prioritize Your Needs
It is very important for enneagram type 2s to not only recognize their own needs but fulfill them too. Our body has certain rights over us that we must tend to whether they are related to hunger, thirst, sex, rest or exercise. We must strive to fulfill these needs in the right way to ensure our physical and mental health remains ideal. Oftentimes type 2 enneagrams overlook their own needs and this causes them to deteriorate slowly in both spheres.
Take Help From Others.
Sometimes the type 2 enneagram needs to realize that others also have the resources to help them. They are not the only ones who seem to have the ability to help others. This thought process will instill a sense of humility and appreciation for others. Furthermore, accepting this reality will allow type 2s to take help from others and they will be able to experience how it feels like to be able to allow others to grow by helping. This in its way is therapeutic!
Analyze Your Thoughts & Feelings.
The type 2 enneagram must be honest to himself! Is he helping the other person because they really need help or because he is looking for a way to feel good about himself and find an opportunity to be in a position of higher status? Helping others indeed makes one feel good about their own self but that should not be the purpose.
Value Yourself!
The type 2 enneagram should not measure their worth on how helpful they are to others. There are many other ways they can see their worth for example the little things they do to improve their own self, the efforts they make to think healthy and eat healthy and how they are improving their skills to eventually contribute to the world. Yes we have the responsibility of contributing to the society we live in but everything happens through a process, step by step and not always simultaneously or in the manner we want!
Let Others Breathe.
Don’t go looking for people who need help! Even though that is a good thing there needs to be a balance especially for type 2 enneagrams in the habit! Also, give others space. Let them open up when they want to and ensure you are not too nosy! If they need your help they will let you catch on or simply ask.
Conclusion
This article took a look at the type 2 enneagram and why it is called the helper. It also highlighted those traits that play a major role in helping them with their famous title. It also highlighted why they need to adopt more healthier behaviours and how they can do so!
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