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Your personality type may predict your mental health.
By Miriam Slozberg — Written on Apr 28, 2019
If you're suffering from severe depression symptoms it may have something to do with your Enneagram personality type.
The Enneagram test is a personality typing system that is composed of 9 personality types that are all quite different.
When it comes to the topic of depression, Enneagram personality types are not often the first thing you think about.
But, your Enneagram personality type does say a lot about how susceptible you are to crippling depression symptoms and how you usually cope with it them.
The term Enneagram literally means nine ("ennea" is 9 in Greek).
The Enneagram Institute lists all 9 Enneagram types.
Once you are aware of your type, you can figure out which astrological signs and planets are related to your Enneagram, and how you handle severe depression.
If you've figured out which Enneagram personality type you are, here is a little breakdown of what to expect from your type:
Type 1: The Perfectionist
This personality type will not rest unless things are done in an orderly fashion, and they expect perfection which brings them irritation since nothing in life is perfect. They can be quite judgemental and critical.
However, they are also dependable, responsible, and loyal to those who they care about. The Type 1 is ruled by Mercury and ruled by Virgo and Gemini.
Type 2: The Helper
This personality type describes the ones who will be there to help others because they genuinely do want to be there for others in need.
However, they also have a need to be needed and expect to be shown gratitude for their kindness.
If they are not thanked for their kindness, they become possessive and irrational. They only are this way towards those who they are the closest to.
The Type 2 is ruled by the Moon and Cancer.
Type 3: The Performer
This personality type described those who need to be the best at what they do and keep striving to be successful.
They want to be the most influential people in their field or they want to be the best looking in their social circle.
Whatever their goals are, they will do anything to attain it because they must be successful.
Otherwise, they will not feel validated, and failure is their worst fear. The Type 3 is ruled by the Sun and Leo.
Type 4: The Individualist
This personality type describes those who are basically misfits and are proud to be misfits, but at the same time secretly envy those who live less complicated lives.
They are the ones who have always been considered as rejects and at the same time, they are highly creative, dreamy, intuitive, and expressive in their own way.
However, they are extremely prone to depression. The Type 4 is ruled by Neptune and Pisces.
Type Five 5: The Investigator
This personality type describes those who are quiet, secluded, and who keep to themselves.
They are extremely observant, they have a need to learn and to keep up with any type of intellectual stimulation.
They are quite withdrawn but can be a friend for life if they allow someone to be in their lives. The Type 5 is ruled by Uranus and Aquarius.
Type 6: The Loyalist
This personality type is naturally cynical but at the same time are constantly looking for someone or something to trust.
Those who fit this personality type are anxiety-ridden and are always waiting for the other shoe to drop if something positive happens in their lives.
They are constant worriers and this type is ruled by Saturn due to the fact that they restrict themselves from people and situations due to their cynical nature.
The signs that rule the Type 6 are Capricorn and Aquarius.
Type 7: The Enthusiast
This personality type is always in need of having something to look forward to and cannot be bothered to live in the present.
They want to live the high life and cannot sit still. They are constantly going on trips and seeking out adventure for one reason or another.
They are fun to be around and they are naturally extroverted.
However, they will not take well to any type of responsibility that they have. The Type 7 is ruled by Jupiter and by Sagittarius and Pisces.
Type 8: The Challenger
This personality type fits its label as these people are extremely challenging to deal with.
The Type 8 has a need to control others and be in complete control of themselves, and of situations.
They are highly ambitious and driven and will fight for what they want and need.
They will not allow anyone to get into their way as they can be quite aggressive verbally and physically if anyone poses a threat to them in any way at all.
The Type 8 is ruled by Mars and by Aries and Scorpio.
Type 9: The Peacemaker
This personality type is the one that really wants to see the good in everyone, and is there for anyone in need without the type of expectations that the Type 2 has.
They are loyal and have a strong desire for peace, but they also are quite nonconfrontational and are afraid of conflicts.
This personality type has issues with anger just like the others. They are quite slow to anger.
However, when they do become angry, they either explode or allow it to fester and become passive-aggressive.
The Type 9 is ruled by Venus, as well as by Taurus and Libra.
And, that is not all that the Enneagram model has to offer — each personality type tends to take on characteristics of the personality types that are next to them which is considered to be their wings.
For instance, this means the Type 1 may take on some of the same characteristics as a Type 9 or 2 because those are the personalities beside that one.
For instance, even though the Type 1 wants perfection, if they see that a situation cannot be changed, they will let it go for the sake of avoiding conflict of any kind.
So, which Enneagram personality type is most likely to suffer from depression based on their traits?
Type 4!
Type 4's tend to suffer from depression for a variety of reasons.
They are the one group that feels misunderstood and wants their unique ways appreciated.
The Type 5's also feel misunderstood but unlike the Type 4's, they couldn't care less.
The Type 5's just withdraw and keep looking for intellectual stimulation.
But it bothers the Type 4's more than they would want to admit which contributes to the depression as well.
Additionally, the Type 4's will either lean on the 3 wings or the 5 wings.
When they lean on the 3 wings, that is when they really want to become successful, and to be recognized for something that is important to them.
And when 4's lean on the 5 wings, they tend to live more of a Bohemian lifestyle.
They still want to make themselves known, but at the same time are less concerned what others think of them, and they just sit back and quietly observe.
Depression can affect many people, but those who have a Type 4 Enneagram personlity type may have more challenges dealing with it.
Miriam Slozberg is a Canadian author, freelance writer, social media consultant, and a mom to three children, two human and one furry. For more of her Enneagram personality type content, visit her on Twitter.
This article was originally published at Miriam Slozberg. Reprinted with permission from the author.