By reviewing the Big 5 personality traits, you can develop a sense of how strongly each trait influences your personality and behavioral patterns. If you are still unsure or want a deeper understanding of your levels of each Big 5 trait, consider taking a personality quiz to get an estimate of your most dominant personality traits. While these quizzes and tests cannot have an official or diagnostic result, they can still help you in determining which traits you relate to most so that you can take them into account going forward.
The Big 5
Openness to Experience
Individuals with high levels of openness tend to be imaginative and curious. These individuals may feel eager to learn new information or further their insight on materials they have previously learned. People who are high in openness tend to be adventurous individuals who are good at adjusting to new situations that are out of their typical comfort zone. This personality trait often pushes people to try new things that are outside of their sphere of experience.
Conscientiousness
Individuals who are high in conscientiousness tend to be very goal-oriented. They are often extremely organized and like to plan things ahead of schedule. They like things to run smoothly in a structured and organized fashion. By thinking of future consequences of their actions, conscientious people are often less likely to engage in risky behaviors.
Extraversion
Extraverted individuals tend to be very outgoing and expressive. Social situations are comfortable for them, and they like to go out of their way to engage with different individuals. Extraverted people often have an easy time making friends and have a supportive social system around them. These people are often described as highly sociable and well-liked within their social circle and community.
Agreeableness
Agreeableness is a characteristic that is high in individuals who seek to help others. People who are high in agreeableness are often very trusting and placating. They want to spread kindness and peace to those around them. These individuals are often great at empathizing with others and providing support to them when needed. It is common to have a strong support system in place if you are an agreeable person.
Neuroticism
Individuals who are high in neuroticism tend to struggle with emotional regulation. It is common for these individuals to feel a high level of irritability and an intense state of emotions. It is easy for them to look at the worst potential outcome in situations and dwell on the negative side of things. Individuals with high levels of neuroticism often experience mental health obstacles to overcome.
Influence on Addiction
Individuals who experience high levels of neuroticism often have an increased chance of developing an addiction to a substance. Because of their heightened response to external factors or stressors that may present themselves, neurotic individuals may fall into substance abuse to cope with these situations. Depression and anxiety are more common in neurotic individuals as well. These mental health struggles can increase the risk of substance use disorder.
The personality trait that seems to have the most influence on rates of addiction for many people is neuroticism. When it comes to the use of cocaine, heroin, and tobacco products, high levels of neuroticism can be a predictor. Individuals who have low levels of conscientiousness also seem to be at a greater risk for using these substances. This makes sense because low conscientiousness is associated with impulsive decision-making and low consideration of the potential consequences of an action.
Besides high neuroticism and low conscientiousness, other levels of certain personality traits can influence the risk of addiction, especially to certain substances. For example, individuals with high levels of openness to experience are more likely to use marijuana. Extraversion can influence the likelihood of developing a nicotine or alcohol addiction. These substances are commonly used within social settings, and their use may be encouraged by peers. If you are an extroverted person and enjoy being the life of the party, it can be hard to refrain from using these substances within social settings.
High levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness seem to have the least amount of correlation with addiction risk. Of course, anyone can develop an addiction, even if they are dominant in conscientiousness and agreeableness. However, it makes sense that these traits, especially conscientiousness, can decrease the likelihood of some developing a substance use disorder. Since conscientious individuals are highly focused on the future consequences of their actions, they are less likely to engage in substance use for fear of the potential consequences of doing so.
As you can see, different levels of each personality trait may affect the potential of addiction. Understanding the levels of these personality traits within you and observing the correlation to your addiction can help you determine the right recovery plan to approach in treatment. When you understand more aspects of your personality, you can adjust a treatment plan to fit your individual needs.
Understanding the characteristics of each of the Big 5 personality traits can help you set up a successful recovery plan. The Big 5 are openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Every person has different levels of these personality traits, and often people have one or two dominant traits that are especially important to consider. Understanding which traits are dominant, we can observe the likelihood of addiction occurring and what factors can lead to this onset of substance abuse. Knowing your dominant traits can also be a useful tool when developing a recovery plan too. When you implement a recovery plan that aligns with your personality traits and long-term goals, you can create sustainable habits through the recovery process. To learn more about the Big 5 personality traits and how they can influence your chance of addiction, reach out to Dream Recovery at (949) 732-1960.