The Enneagram and Personality Disorders: Exploring the Link

While there is no specific link between the Enneagram and personality disorders, the former can be of great help in addressing some mental health issues. Moreover, it’s often used as a support tool in different kinds of psychological assessments.

However, it is essential to approach this topic with caution, as we want to avoid the risk of labeling certain personality types and their traits or behaviors as disorders.

So, in this article, we’ll explore how the Enneagram and personality disorders are connected and what each personality type can do to prevent their weaknesses from escalating into a personality disorder.

Let’s dive in!

What Is the Enneagram, and How Does It Work?

The Enneagram is a personality classification system that divides people into nine personality types based on their core fears, desires, strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. It brings together influences from ancient wisdom, modern philosophy, and personality psychology.

The core concepts of the Enneagram theory include:

• Enneagram wings, which explain how each Enneagram type can have traits of their neighboring types and how, based on those influences, they can come in two subtypes
• Enneagram arrows, which describe how each type changes depending on the development phase they are going through
• Enneagram motivations, which provide insight into how each type constructs their life strategy and what drives their behavior.

So, by taking an Enneagram test and determining your Enneagram type, you get a well-rounded insight into all the most important aspects of your personality. Moreover, the Enneagram can help you improve your communication skills and relationships, develop your talents, and overcome your weaknesses.

What Are Personality Disorders?

Personality disorders are mental health conditions that influence an individual’s life in every aspect. They include pervasive, inflexible behavior and cognition patterns or inner experiences that significantly differ from societal norms. These patterns usually cause difficulties in at least one area of an individual's life and limit their potential in every way.

For example, hyperfunctioning individuals with avoidant personality disorder can be very successful at work but struggle to maintain relationships. On the other hand, people with borderline personality disorder are likely to experience difficulties in every area of their lives.

It is important to understand that there’s no such thing as perfect mental health and that anyone can show some tendencies toward certain disorders. However, recognizing yourself in certain personality disorder descriptions in no way means that you have a personality disorder.

In fact, the prevalence of any personality disorder worldwide is 7.8%, which means that not only are personality disorders rare, but it is also rare to meet someone who has one. So, in light of these facts, take this article only as an interpretation of where each type’s weaknesses could lead, given the worst-case scenario.

How Enneagram and Personality Disorders Are Related

There’s no direct correlation between the Enneagram and personality disorders. The Enneagram describes nine personality types in their healthy and less healthy variations but doesn’t impose that certain types are more prone to specific disorders than others.

However, there can be some overlap between the Enneagram and personality disorders in terms of learning more about what the consequences of each type’s unhealthy patterns could be. This can also give you a more thorough insight into each type’s core motivation, fears, and desires.

Nevertheless, these overlaps should only be taken as an interpretation since the Enneagram isn’t a tool for diagnosing mental health conditions.

Let’s see what types of personality disorders can be associated with Enneagram types.

Associations Between Enneagram and Personality Disorders

On the premise that the Enneagram and personality disorders are in no way directly linked, we will now analyze the tendencies of each type that could, under some extreme circumstances, lead to psychological issues.

Let’s explore the Enneagram and the psychology of personality disorders!

Enneagram Type 1 - The Perfectionist

A healthy Enneagram Type One is a highly organized, principled, and responsible individual with a strong moral compass. Their need for perfection drives them to constantly develop ideas on how to improve the existing systems, patterns of thought, and anything else they recognize as necessary.

In healthy Ones, perfectionism brings out the best in them without making them feel like failures when they make mistakes or don’t perform perfectly. They know the difference between optimal and perfect performance and aim for the former.

However, perfectionism is a high-risk personality trait that is connected with many mental health issues, from depression to anxiety. When taken to an extreme, unhealthy Ones could develop obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, which is generally characterized by:

• Severe self-criticism
• Inability to relax
• Chronic worry and anxiety over details
• Withdrawal from social interactions

Many Ones will suffer from extreme self-criticism without developing a personality disorder. However, the most important sign that they are experiencing significant difficulties is self-isolation as a form of self-punishment due to failing to meet their own unrealistic standards.

Enneagram Type 2 - The Helper

Helpers are recognized for their compassion and generosity. When healthy, they are highly intuitive individuals in tune with others’ feelings whose presence brings comfort.

Twos’ crucial characteristic is that they are deeply emotional and entirely led by their hearts. They are not analytical and rational individuals and may be prone to making emotional choices. Moreover, understanding this trait is the key to understanding their tendency toward histrionic personality disorder.

People with histrionic personality disorder are generally recognized by these behavioral patterns:

• Emotional manipulation
• Codependent relationships
• Lack of autonomy
• Lack of emotional regulation skills
• Emotional immaturity

This description matches well with the unhealthy Two’s behaviors, highlighting emotional dependency and a focus on external validation as the most triggering traits.

Unhealthy Twos can be extremely manipulative and prone to emotional outbursts when their need for validation isn’t met. Moreover, they are also prone to unhealthy relationships, as they are terrified of being alone.

Enneagram Type 3 - The Achiever

Achievers are energetic goal-getters motivated by the need to earn recognition through their achievements. When healthy, they are capable of balancing their ambition with their authentic emotional needs, and they shine by developing their inherent talents.

The Threes’ core weakness that may lead to mental health issues is their lack of self-worth, as they identify with their successes and believe that they are only as good as their last victory. In extreme cases, depending on their genetics and upbringing, unhealthy Threes could develop a narcissistic personality disorder.

Some of the most typical behaviors of this disorder are:

• Obsession with appearance and social image
• A constant need for validation from others
• Extreme sensitivity and intolerance to criticism
• Grandiosity

The common family dynamics in people with narcissistic personality disorder include parents with unfulfilled ambitions who project their unrealized desires onto their children. They don’t see the child for who they are but only for what they achieve, which matches Enneagram Type Three's typical childhood story.

Enneagram Type 4 - The Individualist

Fours are recognized for their deeply introspective, delicate nature and creativity and need to be distinguished as unique. They are generally considered one of the most emotional and sensitive Enneagram types.

When healthy, Fours are creative, free-spirited, and lively, full of thirst for life and eager to discover their identity. Though their sensitivity generally may make them prone to all kinds of mental health issues, what actually causes the most difficulties for them is their inferiority complex and fear of abandonment.

So, considering their weaknesses, Fours can be associated with borderline personality disorder that is characterized by:

• Depressive episodes
• Extreme mood volatility
• Persistent feelings of inadequacy
• Extreme difficulty in maintaining connections
• Self-destructive behaviors

Unhealthy Fours show many of the tendencies mentioned above. However, it is important to understand that the difference between tendency and disorder is in the level to which certain patterns are expressed.

Enneagram Type 5 - The Investigator

The introverted Fives are known for their bright minds, intellectual curiosity, and fierce independence. They value knowledge, competence, and autonomy, and when healthy, they are unparalleled experts, passionately dedicated to their field of interest. Additionally, they enjoy the company of like-minded individuals and make connections easily despite their introversion.

When unhealthy, Fives are secluded, obsessed with their theories and ideas, and detached from other people and reality. The core fear that is the key to their vulnerability is the fear of being let down by others. They distrust the world and withdraw into themselves as a response to the lack of support from others.

Therefore, the personality disorder that they might be susceptible to, when unhealthy, is an avoidant or a schizoid personality disorder characterized by:

• Avoidance of social interactions
• Unrealistic perception of reality
• Self-neglect (lack of sleep, poor nutrition)
• Emotional detachment
• Alexithymia

In general, Fives’ childhood often involves some kind of attachment issues, which, combined with their inherent nature, can lead to the above-mentioned symptoms.

Enneagram Type 6 - The Loyalist

Loyalists are traditional family types who value security and stability in life. They are great planners who think well in advance and always have at least one backup scenario for everything.

When healthy, Sixes are stable, friendly, warm individuals, always willing to lend a hand and support others. A sense of belonging to the community is important to them, and they consciously foster their friendships and relationships for that reason.

On the flip side, unhealthy Sixes are among the most anxious Enneagram types; they are highly emotionally sensitive and prone to all kinds of fears. Their core fear that causes all the major anxieties in their lives is abandonment and rejection. As a consequence, Sixes often have trust issues.

So, considering the combination of these factors, Sixes may be prone to paranoid personality disorder that is characterized by:

• Extreme suspiciousness and distrust
• Anxiety and panic attacks (as a consequence of paranoid projections)
• Passive-aggressive behavior
• Impulsive defiance

In general, Sixes may also be prone to dependent personality disorder, depending on their Enneagram wing, i.e., their subtype. Sixes with a Seven (6w7) wing may be less paranoid and more dependent, while Sixes with a Five wing (6w5) will be more prone to paranoid tendencies.

Enneagram Type 7 - The Enthusiast

The Enthusiast is full of life, eager to experience its joys, and filled with insatiable curiosity and passion for new experiences. When healthy, Sevens are spontaneous, creative, warm, and inspiring individuals, full of new ideas.

The main cause of any mental health issues Sevens may experience revolves around their low frustration tolerance and lack of emotional regulation skills. Sevens don’t know how to deal with unpleasant feelings, so each time they experience a negative emotion, they feel the urge to run away.

This tendency can lead to a range of disorders, but most likely to the development of an addictive personality that is characterized by:

• Constant need for stimulation and novelty
• Low impulse control
• Mood swings
• Manic-depressive patterns
• Risky behaviors
• All kinds of addictions (from food to gambling and everything in between)

Unhealthy Sevens show many of the traits typical of an addictive personality, where the level of addiction indicates the level of pain they are trying to avoid.

Enneagram Type 8 - The Challenger

Enneagram Type Eight is assertive, passionate, and ambitious, driven by the need to control themselves and their environment. Therefore, healthy Eights are natural leaders full of vitality and initiative.

The key trait that may lead to mental health issues in Eights is their anger. When we add trust issues and the need for power to this, we can expect Eight’s potential pathology to develop in the direction of antisocial personality disorder.

People with antisocial personality disorder exhibit:

• Manipulation and exploitation of others
• Lack of empathy
• Sadistic tendencies
• Rage outbursts (when they feel threatened)
• Extremely domineering behavior
• Disregard of social rules and norms

As you can see, there are many overlaps between unhealthy Eights and antisocial personality disorder. However, the key distinction between a healthy Eight who is going through a rough phase and an Eight with a personality disorder is in the level of empathy they have developed.

Eights with a healthy capacity for empathy may still be very aggressive but are unlikely to suffer from personality disorders.

Enneagram Type 9 - The Peacemaker

Peacemakers are motivated by the desire to find peace and harmony both within themselves and in their environment. Their need for harmony is one form of the core need for belonging, while their need for peace hides a fear of abandonment.

Healthy Nines are warm and wise caretakers who intuitively recognize others’ needs and easily smooth conflicts around them. Easygoing and adaptable, they make friends effortlessly. However, they, too, can be living proof that the Enneagram and personality disorders can be connected in some cases.

When taken to an extreme, Nines’ adaptability may become passivity and weak personal boundaries, while their need for peace may lead to conflict avoidance. These traits, combined with their tendency to neglect themselves for the sake of others, could lead to a pathology within the spectrum of dissociative personality disorder.

Some of the typical behaviors of the dissociative personality disorder include:

• Numbing emotions
• Inability to make decisions
• Lethargy, depressive states
• Extreme withdrawal
• Disconnection from reality

Unhealthy Nines often exhibit many of the abovementioned behaviors. All Nines are prone to numbing emotions to some extent, so what makes the biggest difference between a healthy Nine and a Nine with a disorder is the quality of their connection with reality.

Ready to Reveal Your True Self?

Take our Enneagram test, learn what your Enneagram type is, and start using all your strengths and talents for your maximum benefit!

Key Takeaways

While the Enneagram is in no way a diagnostic tool for mental health issues, exploring the Enneagram and personality disorders can help you understand yourself better. By analyzing what could happen when your weaknesses are taken to an extreme, you actually get a more precise insight into your strengths.

So, the purpose of this article isn’t to label any Enneagram type as unstable or disturbed but to give you a deeper insight into the psychological forces that shape each personality type.

Finally, even if you recognize yourself in the description of a certain Enneagram disorder, it still doesn’t mean that you have psychological issues. It can simply mean that you are going through a rough patch in life where your defense mechanisms are strongly activated.

Enneagram and Personality Disorders FAQ