• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

[Traditional Enneagram] Which defense mechanisms do you use?

Rouskyrie

New member
Joined
Aug 11, 2016
Messages
396
There are the basic defense mechanisms associated with the types:

Type 1 - Reaction Formation.
Type 2 - Repression.
Type 3 - Identification.
Type 4 - Introjection.
Type 5 - Isolation.
Type 6 - Projection.
Type 7 - Rationalization.
Type 8 - Denial.
Type 9 - Narcotization.

But what other defense mechanisms do you use? If you don't mind, please comment. I'm quite curious to know.

Personally, I've discovered that I tend to use Narcotization, Repression, Isolation, Reaction Formation and Introjection, (The defense mechanisms that happen to be associated with the types within my tritype and their wings) as well as Denial.
 

Obfuscate

Permabanned
Joined
Aug 20, 2016
Messages
1,907
MBTI Type
iNtP
Enneagram
954
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
i just tune things out... people, environment, emotions... anything really... i hide in my thoughts and let the world pass me by... sometimes my thoughts can go toxic, so i will turn to things to turn those off also... that can mean a substance, sex, gaming, etc... anything that keeps me from thinking or feeling i guess... sometimes i can bury myself in helping other people so i can ignore things i feel like i need but won't get... by focusing on what other people need it can keep me from thinking about it for awhile... i can think of others, but these are the most prominent...
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
Messages
246
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
9?
Instinctual Variant
sp
I'm a core Nine, so narcotization is supposed to be my main one. I'm pretty good at that.

I think I can also be pretty prone to introjection, projection, and identification.
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2016
Messages
1,659
Hmm, after some self reflection, the one I relate to the most on this list is isolation. Whenever I am stressed out, I always retreat into my bedroom chamber and have to isolate everything away. I even have a tendency to completely cut my own family and friends out of my life as much as possible, because dealing with reality becomes too difficult for me to cope with. Even when I have opportunities to go out and enjoy life a bit, I always come up with excuses to avoid it because I know I would end up even more depressed, but at the same time angry at myself for not pushing myself to spend time with other people. My feelings tend to become numb, like a weird combination of not caring, but deep down really caring, and end up self-destructing anyway as a result. I tend to escape into my own world, an idealistic outlook of what I wish and fantasize my life to be like. I also naturally think about the negative consequences of what could happen, but I try not to because it does stress me out even more. So I tend to retreat and overindulge myself on whatever, whether it's online or any other mindless entertainment. I really do relate to the escapist tendencies of the 5 enneagram, especially the whole secret lives bit, but I know for sure I'm a core 4 and am too success oriented to be a 5 wing. I can introject, but I wouldn't say it's a major defense mechanism for me compared to isolation. :shrug: I always have doubts if maybe I have a stronger 5 in my tritype than I think. Having a bit of an identity crisis right now...
 

magpie

Permabanned
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
3,428
Enneagram
614
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
A good offense is a good defense.
 

EJCC

The Devil of TypoC
Joined
Aug 29, 2008
Messages
19,129
MBTI Type
ESTJ
Enneagram
1w9
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Reaction formation as my main one would make a lot of sense.

I had to Google some lists to remind myself of what the options are, but the ones that sound most like what I do are: reaction formation (obviously), compartmentalization, intellectualization, humor, splitting, and isolation/repression.
 

entropie

Permabanned
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
16,767
MBTI Type
entp
Enneagram
783
Rationalization and beer, as in narcotization
 

Frosty

Poking the poodle
Joined
Apr 6, 2015
Messages
12,667
Instinctual Variant
sp
Narcotization definitely. Been trying to work on that though but... yup. Introjection, repression, denial,isolation, projection. Really I can relate to just about all of them.
 

Kas

Fabula rasa
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Messages
2,554
From noted I guess : rationalisation, isolation and introjection.
 

ceecee

Coolatta® Enjoyer
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Messages
15,908
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
8w9
Intellectualization, definitely compartmentalizing, sublimation, emotional self-sufficiency and self-regulation, anticipation and aggressiveness. I also think there are many mature defense mechanisms such as humor, mindfulness, patience and so on, that people can strive for, no matter their type.
 

anticlimatic

Permabanned
Joined
Oct 17, 2013
Messages
3,299
MBTI Type
INTP
Turtling or relentlessly attacking until at last I can throw down my enemy and smite his ruin upon the mountainside.
 

evilrubberduckie

New member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
836
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
7w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Rationalize and if that doesnt work. Eat. Sex sleep move on.
 

Lord Lavender

Bluered Trickster
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
5,851
MBTI Type
EVLF
Enneagram
739
Instinctual Variant
so/sp
I would say my main defence method is to isolate myself and tune the world out.
 

Abendrot

one way trip
Joined
Sep 2, 2016
Messages
600
MBTI Type
IntJ
Enneagram
85X
Instinctual Variant
sx
A bit of introjection maybe.

As for non listed defense mechanisms:
- Dissociation
- Emotional Self Sufficiency
- Humiliity
- Attempting to communicate with my unconscious (if this counts)
 
Last edited:

skimpit

Active member
Joined
Oct 4, 2016
Messages
717
You can tell I'm bored because enneagram has caught my interest today. (I don't particularly like the system or understand it, but there's that.)

I don't even know what narcotization means but I spelled it right on the first try, and it looks like something I'd do. Something incredibly fancy, yet useless at the same time. Same, same. Meh...
Also, isolation and rationalization. To the extreme. I either do one or the other, sometimes at the same time, and never with a good result.

It seems like the last two I listed are pretty common on this thread. Interesting.
 

Rouskyrie

New member
Joined
Aug 11, 2016
Messages
396
You can tell I'm bored because enneagram has caught my interest today. (I don't particularly like the system or understand it, but there's that.)

I don't even know what narcotization means but I spelled it right on the first try, and it looks like something I'd do. Something incredibly fancy, yet useless at the same time. Same, same. Meh...
Also, isolation and rationalization. To the extreme. I either do one or the other, sometimes at the same time, and never with a good result.

It seems like the last two I listed are pretty common on this thread. Interesting.

Just out of curiosity: May I ask what you don't understand about it?

Also: Despite your dislike of the system, do you know what your type within the Ennagram is?
 

Dyslexxie

Dope& diamonds.
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Messages
1,250
My best defense mechanism:
1T2Hrb5.gif


I think my most common ones are rationalization or compartmentalization but often in conjunction with reaction formation.
 

Merced

Talk to me.
Joined
May 14, 2016
Messages
3,599
MBTI Type
ESTJ
Enneagram
28?
Instinctual Variant
so/sp
I tend to try to bail on a situation, rationalize it to my comfort, or blame myself.

It's actually sort of embarrassing how quick I am to contemplate faking my death or running from the city under a new name.

Edit: To use the examples from the actual question: Narcotization, Introjection, Repression, and Identification.
 

skimpit

Active member
Joined
Oct 4, 2016
Messages
717
@ Rouskyrie:

Haha, no. I don't not like Enneagram because I hate it, though. It's just I find it very hard to understand and I don't like how people correlate it with MBTI. MBTI has a little scientific basis, or at least seems like it, so at least I can relate it to something a tiny bit tangible. I'm not sure what enneagram is trying to tell me that MBTI can't. (I tend to think of MBTI as an all-encompassing system that can fit nearly anything if you wanted it to...)

I know it seems simple, I just can't wrap my mind around it.

Also, I was trying to be funny by pointing out my ignorance. I wasn't trying to jack the thread, sorry about that.
 

Rouskyrie

New member
Joined
Aug 11, 2016
Messages
396
@ Rouskyrie:

Haha, no. I don't not like Enneagram because I hate it, though. It's just I find it very hard to understand and I don't like how people correlate it with MBTI. MBTI has a little scientific basis, or at least seems like it, so at least I can relate it to something a tiny bit tangible. I'm not sure what enneagram is trying to tell me that MBTI can't. (I tend to think of MBTI as an all-encompassing system that can fit nearly anything if you wanted it to...)

I know it seems simple, I just can't wrap my mind around it.

Also, I was trying to be funny by pointing out my ignorance. I wasn't trying to jack the thread, sorry about that.

Fair enough, I can see where you're coming from.

No need to apologize. :p
 
Top