Type Four - The Individualist
Profile by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson - The Enneagram Institute
The Sensitive, Withdrawn Type: Intuitive, Expressive, Self-Absorbed, and Depressive
Basic Fear: That they have no
identity or personal significance
Basic Desire: To find themselves and their significance (to
create an identity)
The Four with a Three-Wing: "The Aristocrat"
The Four with a Five-Wing: "The Bohemian"
Potential Neuroses: Avoidant, Depressive, and Narcissistic
Personality Disorders
Key Motivations: Want to express themselves and their individuality, to create and surround themselves with beauty, to maintain certain moods and feelings, to withdraw to protect their self-image, to take care of emotional needs before attending to anything else, to attract a "rescuer".
Healthy
Self-aware, introspective, on the "search for self,"
aware of feelings and inner impulses. Sensitive and intuitive
both to self and others: gentle, tactful, compassionate. Highly
personal, individualistic, "true to self."
Self-revealing, emotionally honest, humane. Ironic view of self
and life: can be serious and funny, vulnerable and emotionally
strong. At Their Best: Profoundly creative, expressing the
personal and the universal, possibly in a work of art. Inspired,
self-renewing and regenerating—able to transform all their
experiences into something valuable: self-creative.
Average
Take an artistic, romantic orientation to life, creating a
beautiful, aesthetic environment to cultivate and prolong
personal feelings. Heighten reality through fantasy, passionate
feelings, and the imagination. To stay in touch with feelings,
they interiorize everything, taking everything personally, but
become self-absorbed and introverted, moody and hypersensitive,
shy and self-conscious, unable to be spontaneous or to "get
out of themselves." Stay withdrawn to protect their
self-image and to buy time to sort out feelings. Gradually think
that they are different from others, and feel that they are
exempt from living as everyone else does. They become melancholy
dreamers, disdainful, decadent, and sensual, living in a fantasy
world. Self-pity and envy of others leads to self-indulgence, and
to becoming increasingly impractical, unproductive, effete, and
precious.
Unhealthy
When dreams fail, become self-inhibiting and angry at self,
depressed and alienated from self and others, blocked and
emotionally paralyzed. Ashamed of self, fatigued and unable to
function. Tormented by delusional self-contempt, self-reproaches,
self-hatred, and morbid thoughts: everything is a source of
torment. Blaming others, they drive away anyone who tries to help
them. Despairing, feel hopeless and become self-destructive,
possibly abusing alcohol or drugs to escape. In the extreme:
emotional breakdown or suicide is likely.
Wings by Thomas Condon - The Changeworks
Four With a 3 Wing
Fours with a 3 wing can sometimes seem like Sevens. May be
outgoing, have a sense of humor and style. Prize being both
creative and effective in the world. Both intuitive and
ambitious; may have good imaginations, often talented. Some are
colorful, fancy dressers, make a distinct impression.
Self-knowledge combines well with social and organizational
skills. When more entranced, often have a public/private split.
Could conceal feelings in public then go home to loneliness. Or
they could enjoy their work and be dissatisfied in love. Tendency
towards melodrama and flamboyance; true feelings can often be
hidden. Competitive, sneaky, aware of how they look. Some have
bad taste. May be fickle in love, drawn to romantic images that
they have projected onto others. Could have a dull spouse, then
fantasize about glamorous strangers. Achievements can be tainted
by jealousy, revenge, or a desire to prove the crowd wrong.
Four With a 5 Wing
Healthy side of this wing brings a withdrawn, complex creativity.
May be somewhat intellectual but have exceptional depth of
feeling and insight. Very much their own person; original and
idiosyncratic. Have a spiritual and aesthetic openness. Will find
multiple levels of meaning to most events. May have a strong need
and ability to pour themselves into artistic creations. Loners;
can seem enigmatic and hard to read. Externally reserved and
internally resonant. When they open up it can be sudden and
total. When entranced or defensive, Fours with a 5 wing can
easily feel alienated and depressed. Many have a sense of not
belonging, of being from another planet. Can get lost in their
own process, drown in their own ocean. Whiny - tend to ruminate
and relive past experience. Prone to the emotion of shame. Air of
sullen, withdrawn disappointment. May live within a private
mythology of pain and loss. Can get deeply morbid and fall in
love with death.
Instinctual Variants by Thomas Condon - The Changeworks
Self-Preservation
People with this theme are often advocates of risk. Can be
reckless, court disaster or just flirt lightly with loss. Take
chances to stir up emotional intensity, play out melodrama or to
get attention. Can have a desire to punish other through hurting
themselves. The logic is, "If I die then they'll be sorry
and finally appreciate me." Can seem like counterphobic
Sixes in their behavior. With a 3 wing this subtype is more
flamboyant and makes a show of their daring. With a 5 wing they
grow more sullen and self-punishing.
Intimate
Fours with this theme tend to be highly competitive in close
relationships but also more generally. With a mate they are prone
to jealousy. Want to be the most important person in mate's life.
Could be jealous of a partner's past relationships, maybe want to
be the only person the partner has ever loved. Related to the
dependent side of 2. More broadly can be consumed by professional
envy. Long to best others in their work. Can jealously measure
their contributions. Petty about keeping score. Want recognition
for their uniqueness. Take away from successes of others when
threatened.
Social
Prone to shame because they compare themselves with the
"normal" world around them. Can be highly self-critical
and feel ashamed for their deviance from imagined group norms.
Sensitive to criticism. May romanticize their defects but feel
bad about themselves anyway. If they have a 3 wing, may cover
their shame with charm. Can also seek status or be driven to
achieve to get revenge against those who once laughed at them.
With a 5 wing, can grow antisocial and depressed, bearing their
shame in solitude.