This article will look at the type 7 enneagram and not only introduce it to the audience by highlighting their traits, fears and desires but also explain how this enneagram behaves in its unhealthy state. The article will also comment on how they can improve their own self so they can reach their healthy state.
Unhealthy Type 7 Enneagrams – How They Behave?
In their unhealthy state, this enneagram type can become quite impulsive and infantile. They are unable to control their desires and will act on them; they can throw their own selves into misery by engaging in their addictive behaviours.
Also, due to their high impulse drives and low self control, this enneagram type 7 can experience anxiety – they may try to engage in self control but fail to.
In this article, we will examine the unhealthy state of the type 7 enneagram by exploring the following levels:
- Level 7: Unhealthy State
- Level 8: Very Unhealthy State
- Level 9: Extremely Unhealthy State
Before we explore all these levels, let’s take a look at the type 7 enneagram in detail.
Enneagram Type 7: The Enthusiast
These individuals are versatile and spontaneous! They have a lot of energy in them and they like to be in high spirits! However, by continuously working themselves out, they can get tired and become exhausted and hence lose focus. They will become distracted and lose track of the goal they had in mind. It is obvious then that they have problems with impulsiveness and impatience.
Overall, these individuals are joyful and cheerful and that is what they emanate when they are around others. At their best, they want to focus on worthy goals that use their talents and strengths.
These enneagrams have been called enthusiasts because of the energy with which they approach the things in life that catch their eyes! They are like children who have a lot of energy, optimism and curiosity about the things that seem interesting to them. Furthermore, they are intelligent not in the sense of academics but in a way that they can process a lot of information and hence brainstorm in an effective manner.
However, their ability to read and process much information and hence learn new skills can sometimes confuse them about what they are actually meant to do in life!
People with this personality type are hence energetic and always looking to have some fun in life. They are the ones who will grab you by the arm and engage you in fun activities. They are that friend who is always looking forward to trying something new! They have a form of energy that is rare to find but uplifting. People who are type 7s are always trying to pull their friends into their adventures because they believe the more the merrier!
Basic Fear
The basic fear of this enneagram type is to be in pain. They absolutely hate pain and they do not want to be deprived in any manner. They will avoid situations where they might get hurt emotionally or physically because they do not want to deal with the experience or feeling of pain. However, because of this fear, they often miss out on worthwhile experiences.
However their fear of missing out does encourage them to take up routines that are not too structured and allow for last minute plans. They may even be unable to focus much on the task at hand because they are looking for a more interesting experience – one that will make them let go of what they are doing and scramble outside for some fun!
Hence, people with this personality type will always grab the opportunities they come across and will fit it into their timetable somehow because like said, they are scared of missing out!
Basic Desire
To be satisfied and fulfilled or content is the desire of this enneagram type 7. They want to feel complete and whole so that they do not have to rely on anyone else for their needs. It is also linked to their fear of being in pain and deprived. Hence, they strive to fulfill their needs in an independent manner and wish to be in a state that renders them safe.
At the same time, they do not want to miss out on joyful, stimulating and awesome experiences from life! They want to be part of the fun and seek excitement and joy from what they are doing. They want to feel happy and this leads them to oftentime justify or rationalize their negative feelings in a way that they are responsible for how they feel – even if it isn’t their own fault!
So if you have a friend with this personality type, you can count on them to make sure the both of you never miss an awesome party!
The Unhealthy Levels – Type 7 Enneagrams
In this section, we will take a look at the levels of the type 7 enneagram which are considered unhealthy!
Level 7: Unhealthy State
At this level, the type 7 enneagram is troubled by their impulses which they find hard to control. They can become defensive if someone confronts them about their behaviours. Such episodes can be marked by childishness because they refuse to acknowledge their behaviour problems and can act out if stopped.
Sooner or later, these addictions can take over and affect their emotional, mental and even physical state. They are unable to complete even the simplest of tasks. Also, they become even more defensive and resort to abuse – verbal and physical – to keep others away and so that they do not have to explain their own selves to others.
This level can cause them to become morally corrupt. They will engage in wrong behaviours to the extent that they do not consider them wrong and hence lose their sense of right and wrong.
What is different in this stage is that they, to some extent, try to fight off their impulses but face anxiety as a result.
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.
Level 8: Very Unhealthy State
At this stage, they lose the will and energy to fight off their impulses. They become erratic and it is difficult to predict their behaviour. At one point, they will admit that they are trying to control their impulses however, the very next moment you will see them once again engaging in their desires – drug addiction, alcoholism and what not.
What is defining about this stage is that they go wholeheartedly into what they desire – they do not attempt to control their desires and even if they say they will they know deep down that they are lying. Hence, they do not experience much anxiety at this stage – they are into full destructive mode.
They are in an attempt to fully escape themselves. The little moral conscience that they do have is thrown at the back and they put the throttle in full drive – they experience mood swings in case they have a change of heart or are not able to fully engage in their addictions or impulses. This type wants to have fun and they will stop at nothing. If they are then they will become quite offensive or totally ignore you!
Level 9: Extremely Unhealthy State
At this level, they have fallen into a pit so deep that they have not only given up on themselves but also on life. They are panic stricken and do not know what to do because in the process of following their desires they have thrown away important aspects of their life – friends, family and the work they had.
They become emotionally, mentally and physically drained and find it hard to become their normal selves even if they want to. They need serious help which they may not be able to attain.
This level is also characterized by episodes of serious depression, bipolar and histrionic disorders where the individual can be seen having extreme mood swings, anxiety attacks and even hallucinations! They become the worst version of themselves in every way. Their thoughts are contaminated, emotions are sucked dry and they have lost the mental energy to make the right decisions.
Conclusion
This article took a look at the type 7 enneagram and introduced it to the audience by commenting on it’s traits, fears and desires. Furthermore, the article also discussed the unhealthy levels of this enneagram and pointed out ways to improve their personality and hence become a better version of themselves!
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