[Traditional Enneagram] Flirting with your worst fears

[EJCC]

This occurred to me when I realized that I, and many e1s I know on this forum, enjoy relatively harmless outlets for loss of control. For example, I enjoy psychological thrillers (movies/TV) and am fascinated by stories of mental breakdowns and drug addiction.

What's your fear catharsis of choice? Do you have one? I know e6 folks have a bunch of them bc that's what counterphobia is all about. But what about other types? Is this a thing or am I making it up?

Edit: To clarify, I'm thinking of Enneagram-related worst fears. For example, loss of control (for e1 and other types), loss of personal safety (for e6 and other types), and... I dunno what other examples would be.

 

[gromit]

I enjoy slightly pushing into scary adrenaline activities: downhill skiing, surfing, climbing...

I am fully aware of risks and stay attuned to my current mental and physical state, situational and environmental factors. That said, I have had a couple somewhat close calls, where if maybe 2-3 more things had gone differently I wouldn't be here today or at least not in the same condition.

 

[Totenkindly]

I was trying to think of things that I do in this regard, but there's not really a lot of stuff that I would say I'm terrified of per se. I seem to enjoy things that scare me, on some level. I think I've mentioned my fear of spiders in the past... that could be one... where I'll examine them up close but they're the kind of thing that makes my skin crawl. yet there's still a fascination there.... I deal with the fear by immersing myself / studying it up close.

I do find that I really don't like being castigated or having people tear me or my judgments apart... yet sometimes I almost invite the criticism even while consciously feeling REALLY reluctant to putting myself out there. Like when it would be easier to just let things slip by, but I force myself into the situation anyway and risk that kind of potential damage. I don't really know how to describe it, words are failing. It's just important to me to be competent and make right/best decisions, yet feel a compulsion to set myself up for psychic excoriation.

 

[Tilt]

I love pulling people's leg, I love working with different, ridiculous personas/messing with perceptions. E3s are fixated with being seen as competent and valued.

 

[entropie]

what fears?

 

[Norrsken]

Interesting. I suppose I do enjoy flirting with losing all control of myself in ways that others may perceive as unhealthy. I loved jumping on the bed as a child even though I never seemed to learn that doing so will increase the chances of breaking my leg or my ankle, which I have done many times. I love getting drunk and being wild, though this is becoming less of an occurrence the older I become, as well as having the marriage life mellowing me out. I love scaring and creeping myself out through certain scary documentaries or movies that may or may not be true. At the same time, though, when life or danger tries to control me or threatens me with pain, I freeze with terror. I'd rather control it rather it handling me.

I like to be chocked. That's another one. I'm not crazy, trust me. (;

 

[ChocolateMoose123]

Flirting? I've make sweet, sweet love to mine

 

[ThaumaturgicTheorist]

What is it Nines are supposed to fear again? Loss or separation I think is the common interpetation....I have life for that, I don't need to play with it.

I do sometimes toy with my more general, irrational fears, but I try to think of it more as therapy. If there's anything I'm deeply, existentially afraid of, I don't know what it is.

 

[Kanra Jest]

Not achieving my goals. Unfulfilled purpose. Never sharing my ideas. Looking foolish.

A few phobias, but I combat it testing myself. I dislike feeling controlled by any pointless phobia. Heights. Maybe separation counts .. abandonement. And just all around slight paranoia about people. I manage to trust those I've a good vibe about though, but every so often thoughts pop up, anyway.

I do flirt with it, a little bit more each time gradually so I can eliminate it.

 

[EJCC]

I recently learned that another e1 at my office has been fascinated by creepy stories about asylums for almost her entire life. I wonder if that interests her for the same reason similar stories interest me.

 

[Virtual ghost]

I don't think I do this, at least not deliberately.

However I am attracted to big picture problems/scenarios: climate change, neutron star entering the solar system, expected regression of productivity in agriculture, ww3, interaction of various trends and problems .... but I do think about all of that just to feel alive. Average bores me in most cases.

 

[á´…eparted]

I am not so sure. It could be argued that some of the "fears" I face as an outlet are. A. Not actually fears and B. Actually are dangerous.

Though for some, it does fit. The biggest being HvZ

 

[Rouskyrie]

Well, my fear is that of abandonment and it's quite extreme. I suppose I "flirt" with my aforementioned fear by constantly feeling the need to seek out new friendships/relationships even when I'm aware they won't work out and will be painful for me to experience. You'd think I would start to distance myself from people in order to avoid my fear, but I won't allow myself to do that.

 

[RedAmazoneFriendZone]

I hate feeling controlled (physically and psychologically) but as I'm working independently all is ok for now.

I'm afraid of commitment (that is because I only trust myself) in my intimate life so I've chosen for now someone who can't approach me too close...
I think it is more healthy than power games which exist in most couples. But I would suffer a lot if we had a lack of communication and mutual stimulation.

I hate manipulation and betrayal (which are linked to my fear of commitment). I enjoy understanding my surrounding the the most subtle details and facts so
I normally don't flirt with it.

I hate suffering, but who doesn't, unless you've subscribed to the masochist club. I rarely flirt with it as always find ways to enjoy existence and show to the ones I feel close to
that after the thunderstorm comes the sun.

I flirt with my fear of becoming ignorant (both of myself and the world) by just viewing the good side of things...sometimes...

 

[Cowardly]

I do not flirt with them, I analyze them in order to disable them. I do have many, I confess.

I hate suffering, but who doesn't, unless you've subscribed to the masochist club.

If you will talk about Masokissed you should mention him.

I flirt with my fear of becoming ignorant (both of myself and the world) by just viewing the good side of things...sometimes...

I'm afraid of being too ignorant to function. I counter this fear by absorbing as much knowledge as I can. I don't want this to stop however, it's very useful.

 

[Smilephantomhive]

I don't flirt with my fears. Life forces me to face them.

 

[Galena]

My worst fear is terminal illness, which can touch on fears of loss of control, loss of control over how you appear (see image type), material loss, fear of being cared for and of others making sacrifices for you. It might have something to do with the loss of a relative when I was young, who wasn't too close and didn't appear to leave this sort of mark on me at the time, but maybe it still did.

I am drawn in this sense to stories about the subject when I might be happier leaving it alone. On the other hand, the fear also drives me to care more seriously about help for others in that situation.

Writing is another way to deal with fear, although it's also kind of deflated by it. No monster I invent can compare to the human body's capability to malfunction.

 

[kyuuei]

Fireworks.. combining my fear of fire and my fear of the unknown. :3 I love fireworks, but I get so antsy and teeny tiny bits of anxiety whenever I am the one lighting them up.

And I have had a forever love with the macabre.. despite the fact if I ever ran into anything super scary for realsies I'd probably be a little bitch about it. But haunted houses and the like? Bring it on.

 

[magpie]

I don't know what my worst fear is but I know the act of triumphing over situations I feel fear about is cathartic for me.

 

[ceecee]

Since mine is fear of someone else controlling me/vulnerability or pain/injury, I'd say I'm doing well with facing those fears. I'm in a healthy relationship and that requires some vulnerability and interdependence. Fear of pain or injury is a strange one to me because that's something I've never been afraid of in my life.