Understanding How Temperament Impacts...Well, Everything

Let’s consider how temperament relates to recovery and overall stress level.   The first dimension, Extrovert vs. Introvert relates to how you prefer to interact with people and the world. Extroverts get energized by being around people and will feel very isolated and listless if they are in a job and/or living arrangement in which they are not regularly interacting with people.   In recovery it is important to develop a social support network of both people who are in recovery, and with people who are not battling addiction or mental health issues, but are willing and able to have fun, clean and sober. Going to meetings and working with a coach or sponsor are also excellent for the extrovert, because it allows you to solve your problems while you talk with someone, and get social interaction at the same time.

The biggest stumbling block for extroverts in recovery is being more in tune with what is going on around you, instead of what is going on inside you. It is vital for you to spend a few minutes each day to mindfully assess how you feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually; to evaluate what your current wants and needs are, and to make sure you are thinking and acting in your “sober self.” That is, making sure you are choosing thoughts, actions and reactions that move you closer to where you want to be, instead of just being a quick fix. (That mindfulness and purposeful action thing again…)

Introverts, on the other hand, need down time each day. If you are an introvert, you may be well aware of what is going on inside you, but can get overwhelmed easily. Introverts are very intense. When you make up your mind to do something, you do it 130%. Unfortunately, this may lead you to either get frustrated because you cannot get “it” perfect, get bored after 3 or 6 months, because you feel like you have been there, done that, or get overwhelmed because you lose balance. You focus so intently on one or two areas of recovery, you lose sight of everything else. So, downtime for reflection and re-energizing and balance are crucial for the introvert.

Introverts usually do better journaling or keeping a diary than doing a lot of talking about what is going on. You may not like large meetings, and prefer instead small groups and step studies or workshops. You need to schedule down time throughout the day, so you do not get overwhelmed. Additionally, you need to have a plan for handling interruptions and situations in which you may have to interact with many people. Both of those situations can be very draining for the introvert.

The second dimension, Sensing vs. Intuitive can help you understand how you approach tasks and make plans. Sensing people, or those who are high on the “S” dimension love details and facts. You are good at living in the moment, but may miss the big picture. In recovery, that may mean focusing on not using, going to work, going to meetings, but missing the point….recovery is supposed to help you be happier, healthier, and have a higher quality of life. When you just go through the motions, you do not stay sober very long, because it is hard and lacks any rewards. If you are a sensing person, you need to make sure you keep the end in mind. In my practice, we talk about the concept of Good Orderly Direction. That is, envisioning recovery as a place on a map and every decision as an opportunity to take a detour (and get lost). No matter how tough the drive, if the destination is worth the effort, most people will push on through.

The opposite end of the Sensing-Intuitive spectrum is, obviously, Intuitive. Intuitive people, those high on the “I” dimension, are dreamers. You can see the big picture, but can get caught up in your own fantasies in the future. You can forget to focus on the present and may miss details such as---how you are going to maintain a balanced lifestyle including recovery activities. I am intuitive in many ways. I love writing grants---after all, a grant is basically proposing how you are going to spend someone else’s money! I am great at envisioning new programs and, generally, how they will operate. I even like doing budgets. However, I often overlook details such as what forms might need to be created in order to bill for the services….details, details.   If you have a lot of qualities of the intuitive dimension, it is suggested that you have someone else (someone detail oriented) review your work, in this case your relapse prevention plan and recovery activities, and point out any missing details.

The third dimension describes how people assign meaning to things. It is important to understand that Thinkers and Feelers both have very intense reactions to things, they are simply conceptualized in a bit of a different way. In recovery, Thinkers can over-intellectualize a problem in order to avoid dealing with their emotional reactions. On the other hand, feelers may get so revved up by their emotions they cannot think straight.   In dialectical behavior therapy, Marsha Linehan talks about the wise mind (thinkers) and the emotional mind (feelers). In order to fully experience life, you need to have both minds. The ultimate goal is to stay in touch with feelings without letting them dictate your actions.  

If you are a Thinker, take time to identify your reaction before you jump to problem solving. Many thinkers want to immediately “fix it.”   Once you stop to evaluate the situation, you may realize that whatever the issue is really does not deserve their energy, or it is something that someone else needs to fix. Feelers, on the other hand, need to learn how to feel their feelings without being controlled or overwhelmed by them.   In recovery, both types of people need to focus on experiencing their reactions or feelings, identifying why they are reacting that way, and then making a mindful choice about what to do next.

The final dimension is Judging vs. Perceiving. This is basically how you organize your life. Judgers like structure and planning. Perceivers find day planners and too much structure boring.   In recovery if you are a Judger, you can keep your to-do lists and day planners; however, you also need to plan for how to handle the unexpected. Children get sick. Cars break down. Things happen. Being a very strong Judger (some might say a bit rigid), I always try to have a plan B. This way, I have planned for the unexpected and it does not throw me for a loop. Even if your plan B is just to call your sponsor, coach or significant other, at least it is somewhere to start. At work, Judgers like to generally do the same thing each day. Teachers, counselors, bank tellers and sales clerks all have jobs in which they can generally predict what they will be doing at any given time. Any situation that is not structured enough for you may cause additional stress. For example, during the Spring, there is always an influx of abandoned animals (and new puppies and kittens) that need rescue. I never know when I am going to get the call. To make it less stressful for me, I keep a foster quarantine area set up with all the supplies I could need. That way, when I get the call, I do not have to run around crazy getting ready. I also set parameters on what I can handle. An un-housebroken puppy is not on the list! There are other people who can handle them. (Although I do have a space set up in one of the garages for the rare emergency).   Animals rescue is very unpredictable, which goes against my very nature, but the rewards are totally worth a little additional stress.

Perceivers are so spontaneous that they often feel like there is not enough time in the day to get everything done. They do not like being over-scheduled. There are things that must be done though. If you are a perceiver, try having a combination of daily and weekly to-do list. The only things that go on the daily to-do lists are things that *must* be done each day, such as calling your sponsor or coach, picking up kids from school or taking medicine. In early recovery, I encourage you to also schedule in eating and sleeping, because it is easy to forget the basics. Likewise, it is easy to eat for comfort, or stay up too late when there is less of a schedule. At work, you may get very bored if you are doing a job that is repetitive. You prefer jobs that are rarely the same two days in a row, or that allow you to choose what you want to do. Law enforcement, carpentry and photography are three very different occupations that may appeal to Perceivers.  

For the past twenty years, people have been using their knowledge of personality types for career counseling, mental health counseling, organizational psychology, sales and marketing, leadership training and relationship counseling. By knowing your personality type it is easier to select jobs, activities and partners that will fully meet your needs. You will also be able to figure out ways to reduce stress in situations which might not fit with your temperament.   Finally, being able to identify others’ temperaments helps you create situations that are enjoyable for them, communicate more effectively and reduce everyone’s stress.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The above is an excerpt from Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes’ new book Journey to Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide to Recovery from Addiction and Mental Health Problems.   This workbook is designed to provide a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to recovery from addictions and co-occurring mental health issues. Our intent was to provide all the lessons and activities that a treatment facility would need to enable its staff to provide a good recovery foundation in a 30-day residential, 90-day IOP or even individual therapy program.   Hard copies are available at Amazon.com. If your agency is interested in making a bulk purchase, please contact the publisher at editor@recoveryandresilience.org for discount and purchase information.

Through the end of 2015 Dr. Snipes will be providing a 6 hour, face-to-face, CEU training on using this book in treatment. The only cost to your agency is Dr. Snipes’ travel and lodging. There are no additional fees for the CEUs. Many facilities sell seats to the training to recoup their cost. Additionally, if your agency needs other face to face CEUs, such as ethics or supervision, Dr. Snipes can provide them for a discounted rate while she is there. To schedule Dr. Snipes to present at your facility, please email us at support@allceus.com