Enneagram Confusion

[Niflheimian]

Alright, I'm pretty baffled about my Enneagram type. For awhile I thought I was a 5 with a 4 wing. Later I realized how accurate the 1 and 9 descriptions were (especially 1), so I diagnosed myself as a 1w9. However, I am quite certain that I have a 5 wing, even though it's theoretically not possible on the Enneagram. If only there were such thing as a 1w9w5: 1, I believe, is my base type, with 5 and 9 wings (5 being the stronger of the wings). It's interesting, though, I think I've changed a lot since I was a young child: I was more emotional, yet still mature, then. So that brings about more problems- was I a 4 as a child? I know I wasn't as 1-ish then, but certainly 9-ish a 5-ish. So maybe 1 is just a very strong wing? In Riso/Hudson's Personality Types, it said 1's are disconnected from the protective figure parent, usually because of (real or perceived) unfair expectations (true in my case). 5's are apparently ambivalent to both parents (I was fairly connected to my mother [especially when I was quite young], though), and 9's are connected to both (which doesn't seem to be my case). Perhaps this (parental) information is, euphemistically, "hogwash" ?
Sorry if I ranted, I have trouble differentiating between excess information and what matters.
Any thoughts and advice are welcome.

[Vagabond]

OK... usually Ones are Js... I was wondering about your signature for a while, but I thought I wouldn't bring it up... I think you should try 9w1, or Five... do you relate more to the INTP description or the Oneish one? I'd suggest you read carefully in the Nine description most of all...

[Niflheimian]

The problem is that so many of the descriptions for the types vary. I have gathered that most 1's are Judgers; My preferences for Perceiving and Judging are quite close. I've wondered if I have, say, Asperger's Syndrome or something similar, and the 1 type merely shares the same characteristics. I relate to the 5 descriptions quite well, yes. That would be fine, except I also see parts of myself as 1 and 9. Of the three, I think I could discount 9 first.
[Title post edited for clarity.]

[Vagabond]

Well you'd see parts of yourself in more than one enneagram types, that's normal... you just have to see which one describes the most of you... too bad tests can't be relied upon too much, you will have to read into the types' descriptions and figure it out eventually. I think the more you read about Etypes and the more you relate people's behaviours to the enneagram types etc, the more you end up understanding them, so that you will be able to recognise your own type beyond doubt eventually. Sorry I wasn't of much help... :(

[Niflheimian]

Sorry I wasn't of much help... :(

*beats Vagabond with shovel* ;P

I mean...yeah, it's okay, at least you tried. :devil:

[Niflheimian]

One thing I haven't mentioned is that I always test as a 5w6. At first I dismissed it as an inaccuracy, but I suppose it's quite probable. This is from the Eclectic Energies test (which I just took):
Type 5 - 10.7
Type 6 - 9.3
Type 1 - 8.3
Type 9 - 7.3
Type 4 - 5

Wing 5w6 - 15.4
Wing 6w5 - 14.7
Wing 5w4 - 13.2
Wing 1w9 - 12
Wing 9w1 - 11.5
Wing 4w5 - 10.4
Wing 6w7 - 10.3
Wing 1w2 - 8.3
Wing 9w8 - 7.7
Wing 4w3 - 5.7

As you can see, 5w4 and 1w9 are among the top four, which makes sense; 1 and 9 are as well. I'm beginning to wonder if the sp instinct might exhibit some 1-ish tendencies. OCD might account for some of the 1's characteristics as well (I think I may have the disease). Anyway, I realize I may be ranting again (argh!). Thank you "everyone"! You were "all" so helpful!
I'm glad I've figured this out. I suppose it's been, at the risk of throwing out a cliche, "right in front of my nose." As a result...
I feel pretty,
Oh, so pretty,
I feel pretty and witty and bright!

[Swift]

I've read in Riso/Hudson's Personality Types that both average/unhealthy Nines and Ones look a lot like Fives.

EDIT: INTrPOSr posted something about this:
http://www.intpcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=85157&postcount=27

If you first thought you were 5w4, then you are possibly a 1w9, the One desintegrating to Four, and you're behaving like an average/unhealthy Five.

In my case, I always scored very high on 4, 5, 6 and 9 on those online Enneagram tests. Therefore, I concluded that my type is 9w1. That profile also fits me best.

Nine desintegrates to Six.
One desintegrates to Four.
And average/unhealthy Nines/Ones behave like average/unhealthy Fives.

I hope this helped.

Swift

[ldu5]

The enneagram is a very complex system. Etypes cannot be properly described in terms of sets of traits. Actually what describes etypes best is our subconscious structure which IS a potential and is best reflected by our perceptive filters.
I agree that most descriptions are very poor and grossly simplified, leading to confusion. The best book on enneagram is Caracter and Neurosis by Claudio Naranjo. It is not easy to read though.
ANd properly grasping the scope and structure of the enneagram does require some solid background in psychology.
The classification in terms of healthy to unhealthy makes no sense for each individual has healthy traits and less healthy parts. ANd it also greatly depends on the specific context.
In my long experience working with the enneagram, I habe found that a rather reliable way to identify one's etype is to identify one's basic motivations accross a number of different contexts, however it is very difficult to do this alone, especially for someone who is not used to structured introspection.

[Winterpark]

I 've been confused about my enneagram type for a while, too, when I was almost postive I am a 5w4 and someone suggested that as an ISTP (plus the way I communicate on the net) there's much greater chance that I am a 9. I went ahead and read everything I could find online about e-types, mainly about 4s 5s and 9s. After reading and reflecting all the information, I found out that the type I relate to the most and in the maniest differenet ascpects was the 4w5 (sp variant). I figured the only chance that I could be a 9 was if I was an "unhealthy" 9, but since there was almost nothing I could relate to the healthy 9, the unhealthy 9 altough surprisingly accurate in some aspects was not really comparable to my overall impact with 4w5. The only thing left for me to find out is I guess if I indeed am an unhealthy 9, which I honestly doubt, but will not rule out as an option...

[ldu5]

The best way to find out your true etype is to try and identify your "core" motivations. A helpfull way to do this is to write on a sheet of paper what you've done during the past 2-3 days, moment after momnet, re associate with how you felt then, how you acted/reacted, what was the specific context, do this without any form of judgement. Then go over it and identify your core motivation for each of those moments...
E4s and E9s are at odds, deeply different structures, however both are highly dependant and fusional.

[AllThingsConsidered]

Type 9 (http://www.9types.com/epd/9.html)
Type 5 (http://www.9types.com/epd/5.html)

Read bottom on what types usually confused about:
Type 9 (http://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/type9.php)
Type 5 (http://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/type5.php)

Furthermore...this may help..
Intraspec (http://intraspec.ca/ennea0.php)