Conservation 5(SP5)

Avarice in the Preservation Sphere

The Self-Preservation twists the Avarice of a 5 into a greed for survival, a greed for refuge from the outside world. They want to endure survival by finding a safe place from which they can withdraw and observe the world. They are very sensitive when it comes to their privacy and personal space. Their greed can also make them stockpile on resources, as they never feel like they're ready to go out in the world to survive. They are also obsessed with not wasting time and conserving their energy, but they ironically often internalize their anger, leading to them not being able to stand up for themselves and develop a hyper-adaptability to outside demands, as they don't want to waste any energy on conflict.

Ichazo called SP5 "Refuge", someone who seeks for a safe place from which they can watch the world, attempting to reach autonomy through denying their own needs. Naranjo said that these people want to retain the little of what they have because it has anesthetized and restrained their voracity, they walk through life with very short steps and stop at a lot of doorsteps, almost without breathing.

Trait Structure

Retentiveness

The conservation E5 keeps their emotions and thoughts to themselves. This subtype has learned to be self-sufficient, since he does not expect much from the world. They stick to themselves, being pessimistic about receiving care and protection, or being able to take what they need.

Not giving

This subtype has the fantasy that, by giving, it will lose what little it has. The conservation E5 fears commitment, since it implies a debt that he does not feel capable of satisfying. He wants to be completely free, without obstacles, without ties to anyone. They do not feel like they have much to give.

Detachment

The conservation E5 withdraws from the world; detachment is a form of withdrawal. They do not feel the need to relate, nor are they interested. Deep down, they fear not being capable of filling the other's expectations.

Fear of being swallowed

The conservation E5 has the most difficulty with setting limits of the E5 subtypes. He feels used and abused, confirming his disappointment with the world. Anger is not expressed, rather, this subtype chooses to disappear. They protect their private space as much as possible, being susceptible to invasion.

Excessively docile

Over-docility leads this subtype to interfere with his own spontaneity and with his preferences. This over-docility would not be possible without a strongly repressed need for love.

Self-sufficient

The conservation E5 is independent, due to the fear of being swallowed, and due to the belief that he does not have much to give. He does not ask for help; the world is not to be trusted. This mistrust originated from the primary relationship with the caregivers, who did not respond adequately to the person. Experiencing great frustration when not being able to support others, the conservation E5 chooses to retire from relationships. Despite his self-sufficiency, his material life is often lacking, because he does not need much either. This subtype can choose low-paying jobs because he values independence above all else.

Emotionally insensitive

Despite being sensitive, the conservation E5 buries his emotions, and nobody knows about them. He has “learned” that what happens to him is not relevant, and that showing emotions will cause discomfort. He can forget how he feels, leading to anhedonia. It is difficult to express emotions.

Orientation to knowledge

Knowledge becomes a safeguard in the face of the world. It can be a way of relating to the other. Knowledge brings order and analysis to chaos. Everything is safer in the mind, where he is completely free and autonomous.

Strangeness

Suppressing feelings and avoiding life impoverishes the experiences of the conservation E5. He feels empty on the inside. He describes it as an existential desert. This feeling of living dead is due to the disconnection with the body and the emotions. It is also a feeling of strangeness that makes him feel lost, like a weirdo on the planet. He does not feel belonging to this world.

Guilt

The conservation E5 feels guilt for existing, as if he did not deserve life, as if his existence was a mistake. This subtype will blame himself for everything. By embracing a detached indifference, they feel guilty. Guilt can manifest as a vague sense of inferiority, a vulnerability to intimidation, and shyness.

Self-demanding

This subtype is a perfectionist who feels like a “loser.” He is very demanding of himself, and over-analyzing his actions leads to a sense of lack.

Negativism

The conservation E5 is an oppositionist and a rebel on the inside. His anger manifests as passive-aggression. They can be forgetful and evasive. He does not like being told what to do.

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity is an introverted disposition. This subtype feels unprotected against environmental stimuli. Emotional numbness is a way to protect against overstimulation. He does not want to interfere with the world; he does not want to harm or interfere. The most obvious manifestation of sensitivity and compassion will be towards nature and animals.

Renunciation of action

The conservation E5 tends to procrastinate. Inaction can manifest as non-commitment, passivity, and apathy. Inaction can be the result of wanting to keep his intentions hidden.

Claudio Naranjo's Self-Preservation 5 Description

E5 Conservation (Self-Preservation) – Refuge

The need to retreat is a clear characteristic for the conservation five. But keep in mind that every E5 subtype has some of that: some need to retreat. In the case of conservation, the passion has a lot to do with finding refuge, erecting high walls that separate you from a world that can invade you, that can take you out of a precious little world that hides inside you. The idea of self-preservation becomes clearer if we imagine them as strong supporters of cave retreat. The E5 conservation extremely limits his needs and desires, since each desire could mean a dependency status for him.

Like each conservation subtype, this one is also linked to survival and to the concrete, attached to objects and personal space; but like E5, which is the most mental of the mental characters, it is in thought, in incessant reflection on how to survive and live by limiting external disturbances, that it finds the greatest refuge.