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Character structures are systems of characteristics of our body and mind that shape our identities, emotions, and behaviors. They are also known as the 5 Reichian character types and they start developing before a child is born, in their mother’s womb, up to about 5 or years of age.
In the meantime, our consciousness is struggling to interpret reality. Our thinking does not yet have the necessary complexity to understand other people’s emotions or motives, but we suffer the consequences of those interactions. That’s where the idea of trauma comes from.
However, trauma is not always an episode of violence. It happens, for example, even in the womb, when the baby feels the distress of the mother, or when the child felt abandoned as the mother returned to work just a few weeks after they were born.
Throughout the development of our nervous system, many things happen within us and around us, and all of it gets recorded. These early impressions shape the way we relate to the world later in life. For example, the wound of abandonment doesn’t really mean that someone was actually abandoned. It may simply be the feeling and emotion that was registered by a child at that particular stage of development.
These sensations, along with the way we made sense of them at the time, are what originated the character structures. Also known as character types or defense patterns, they are adaptations that our body and mind developed in order for us to survive in this world.
No one should be blamed for these situations. Experiencing some challenges, even at such a young age, helps us better face the reality of the world.
In adult life, character structures can also become “traps” in which we become stuck, repeating harmful patterns without realizing it. But character structures can also become powerful resources that help us grow into more complete human beings. It all depends on how much we understand about the subject and about ourselves.
Some say that character structures are personality patterns that hide a person’s true self and they recommend one does inner work to heal or soften them.
The foundation of the character structures dates back to the early 20th century, during Freud’s time, based on the knowledge of Wilhelm Reich and Alexander Lowen.
Character structures are developed in 5 stages during the myelination of the nervous system.
What are the Reichian character types?
There are five Reichian character structures: schizoid, oral, psychopathic, masochistic and rigid.
These character types have nothing to do with a person’s morality, and they shouldn’t be seen as better or worse than others. Think of character structures as tools that our body and mind developed to adapt to reality and support a healthy emotional life.
It’s important to note the character structures are not the psychological disorder you may have heard about. The character structures were named decades ago and they still carry their not friendly scientific names.
However, this objective is not always achieved. For many people, character structures end up becoming limiting. This happens when people remain unconscious, being led by the negative patterns of the character structures instead of using their superpowers and gifts to their advantage.
Schizoid: the first of the character structures
The first of the character structures to develop is the schizoid structure, and it starts happening during pregnancy.
Many things are happening in a woman’s pregnancy. This woman may be afraid of losing the baby, or maybe this could be an unwanted pregnancy, or she might be worried the father has no job to support the family. When she experiences a stressful situation, the blood flow in the uterus decreases, and that warm and comfortable place becomes hard and uncomfortable.
The baby still doesn’t know that there is a world beyond the uterus or even a mother. This baby feels that existing brings discomfort, and deep down, they feel as if they’re the ones causing it.
To avoid the discomfort of this feeling of rejection, the baby directs the energy to the head and becomes still, disconnecting from the body and its physical sensations. Their wound is rejection and the discomfort of existing is present. At this moment, myelination is happening inside the brain, making it easier for the baby to concentrate energy in the head, ignoring the discomfort of the body.
The schizoid character structure develops as a defense mechanism to protect the baby against the wound of rejection. As they focus more and more energy in the brain and disconnect from the outside world, thi person starts to develop an unusually strong creative ability.
What does this person look like?
Their body is usually thinner, with long limbs and visible bones at several joints. The head tends to be elongated. Their eyes often have a distant gaze, many times behind glasses. Their lips are usually thin and pale.
Since their interaction is mostly with the mental world, their feet are not firmly grounded. They tend to be picky with food and only seem to need enough energy to carry their head.
It looks as the parts of their body don’t match together. They tend to live inside their mind and their feet are not well grounded. Their gaze looks “disconnected”, they seem to look through you.
If they are forced to be the center of attention or have unwanted physical contact, even something as a simple hug, they may even develop allergies or skin rashes.
How does this person behave?
They tend to be introverted and avoid physical contact.
Whey they feel rejected, they tend to shrink, dealing internally with fear while giving the world little more than a distant gaze.
Living in a “fantasy world” is also a remarkable characteristic of these people. Their speech and expressions tend to be monotone because they don’t always manage to translate their thoughts into words. It is quite common for them to feel strange. They might feel they are “from another planet”.
In relationships, they usually distance themselves physically, as they have difficulty interacting with others. They tend to have trouble with sexual intimacy.
They have highly developed abstract thinking and feel comfortable discussing topics of their interest.
When they begin to accept themselves as they are, they feel that they can exist and then begin to use all the resources of their type such as creativity, rational thinking, intuition and out-of-the-box ideas, for example.
To help this person, you can start by respecting their boundaries. Understand and respect their decisions, so they will feel more comfortable and confident being around you, which helps build a healthier relationship.
Oral: the most intense of character structures
The oral character structure starts developing during the breastfeeding period. At this stage, myelination descends down to the neck. Many things are happening in the baby’s environment. They experience an initial blissful attachment to the mother. It feels wonderful, like paradise.
Many things can happen: problems with breastfeeding, lack of nurturing, mother and father fighting, mother returning to work too early, mother is morning a death in the family, etc. The baby realizes the mom is not there for them anymore, or is erratic in her presence. Mom is not reliable, and they might wonder, Why isn’t she coming? or What is wrong with me? or Am I unworthy?
The chronic upset, protest and despair are too painful to live with, so the baby gives up and becomes superficially adjusted, but detached, or the complete opposite when they grow up. They will cling onto people and be very needy later on in life.
What is this person like?
There are two types: those who come across as more needy, and those who say they do not need anyone and are fine on their own. In reality, that second type is just using a form of self-protection. Out of fear of being abandoned, they end up avoiding connection with others, even though deep down they long for it.
Their body usually has rounder shapes and softer muscles. Someone with a predominant oral structure often has a warm, connecting gaze with needy eyes. They have a rounded face with big cheeks. There may be a slight dip in the chest, sagging hips with fat deposits on the sides, short legs, and knees that often turn inward in an X shape. They tend to look younger than their age.
Oral people feel the need to keep their mouths busy, because there is a high concentration of energy in this area. They do it by talking, drinking, eating, smoking, or biting on something.
Other common characteristics include a childlike voice, a neck that leans slightly forward, and a retracted jaw, as if they were always searching for nourishment. Their gaze is gentle, sometimes sad and childlike, almost as if asking for help, and that is also part of their physical expression.
How do they behave?
The oral defense pattern manifests in two basic ways: collapsed and compensated. Often, a person will go back and forth between the two types. The collapsed oral usually manifests as appearing helpless, needy, clingy or lacking energy. The compensated oral may deny having any needs: “I don’t need anything from anyone.” They may act as if they can take care of themselves. This attitude prevents them from getting their needs met and confirms their belief that they will never be fulfilled.
People with predominant oral character defense can victimize themselves, be possessive and jealous, leading to emotional and financial dependence, and even dependence on the opinions of others. When they can’t find someone to rely on for this dependence, they can turn into substance abuse or excessive behaviors.
They may feel insecure, which can make them impulsive. In some cases, they may also appear selfish because they are always expecting people to do things for them.
When orals are able to meet their own needs, they feel satisfied and independent. This is extremely important to activate their resources, reaching great potential in areas such as communication, caring for others and caring for themselves. You can help an oral person by encouraging their potential. If they need to cry, just offer a friendly shoulder and show empathy.
Psychopathic: the chameleon
Again, let me just remind you that the psychopathic character structure is not the medical condition psychopathy. The names of the character structures were given long before the term ‘psychopath’ became negatively popularized.
When the process of myelination descends a little further, the region of the chest enables control and movement of the upper body. It is at this point that the child begins to explore places by crawling, propping themselves up, and walking.
At this stage,the child is now able to move away from the mother and interact with other people. They start to walk, articulate and verbalize their needs and for that, they need to connect and convince others.
They often seek feedback on their abilities and accomplishments. Attention and acknowledgement of the child’s experience by the parents is crucial. If their deeds, curiosity and discoveries are discouraged or if they feel manipulated or betrayed, it can have negative consequences.
Being “punished” when they make a mistake and praised only when they succeed, the child may find a need to manipulate situations. Their behaviors will aim to attract more positive responses and avoid negative ones: manipulate to not be manipulated.
They may be more subtle, behaving well and trying to be good in front of her parents, for example. In other cases, the child will throw a tantrum, throw themselves on the ground, and fight to have their desires fulfilled.
What is this person like?
This person tends to have inverted triangles in their body shapes, with broad shoulders and narrow hips. Their forehead tends to be large, and the chin is pointy. They can have a crooked smile. The chest may appear always puffed out. Their legs look like funnels, the calves are usually thin.
They often stand with their legs farther apart, and a common habit is placing both hands on their hips. It’s their way of taking up as much space as possible to gain territory.
How do they behave?
Power and control are important for them. Taking control means they don’t have to be controlled. As the person heals this structure, they use their gifts of seduction, leadership and negotiation to get what they want and do things for the common good.
People with this defense have difficulty trusting others and often evaluate what they win and what they lose in relationships. They don’t know how to receive without feeling in debt. They prefer that other people owe them favors and things, not the other way around. The psychopath is considered a chameleon among the character structures. When they are feeling the manipulation wound, they can hide among other character structures.
Note that character structures are not good or bad, they are simply adaptations we needed to to be able to deal with the world around us.
When accessing the strengths of their structure, they can become excellent salespeople or leaders. If they also have the oral structure’s communication skills, they’ll express themselves very well verbally. Combined with their strong control over body language, this can create truly powerful and persuasive communication. They know how to say exactly what others want to hear and they are very persuasive.
To stimulate someone with this character structure, you should praise them on their deeds. They love being recognized. It is important that they trust you. Do not lie or deceive them, they will never forget it. Show them that they can take off their masks and be themselves with you. Understand that may they take some time to trust you.
Masochistic: a dam of feelings
The masochistic character structure begins to develop during potty training period, when the child is being potty trained. Myelination descends to the lumbar region, allowing for greater use of the legs. In many cases, the potty training process is quite premature. This causes the child to not meet the parents’ expectations: their body is not yet ready.
If the child soils their pants, for example, parents usually have a humorous behavior, but the child can feel humiliated. Thus, they will learn the hard way to contract their buttocks to avoid going through that situation again.
The defense mechanism will make this person meticulous, measuring every step. They take a long time to act and plan everything within their reach.
What is this person like?
Their body tends to be more square, hard, and heavy, and energy is distributed throughout all regions. Since the child felt humiliated by something they let out – whether it was physical, thoughts, words, or expressions – they decide to keep everything inside their own body. This buildup can be so overwhelming that, many times, it seems they are close to exploding. People of this structure hold things to the last straw, but sometimes they burst with anger.
Because they carry a lot of “weight” on their shoulders, the waist is thick and square, as well as the neck. The muscles are dense and firm, just like their feet on the ground. Their gaze is friendly and gentle, but it might show suffering from holding back emotions. They may have a lamenting voice and a mouth in the shape of an upside-down U.
How do they behave?
They endure many things, suffering so as not to make others suffer. We can say that they make a lot of effort and have little recognition, and may even feel inferior. This behavior sometimes creates an accumulation of anger. They don’t allow themselves to feel, as they have difficulty expressing their feelings.
When they can no longer bear it, they end up letting everything out at once and it can be destructive, like a dam bursting.
They enjoy routine, order, and organization, and if they decide to live for more than just pleasing others, the masochists can use their resources and potentials in an incredible way.
The ability to “hold back” emotions can make them excellent planners, detail-oriented, attentive to things that no one else sees. They will also be calm and patient to execute any project.
To stimulate this person, let them know they can trust you and make sure you don’t criticize them in front of others. Activities to release all that energy through art, dance, sports, conversations, outings… any healthy habit to restore balance will help them.
Rigid: the last of the character structures
Finally, myelination reaches the sacral region, the genital organs, completing the character structures.
The rigid character structure begins to develop with the discovery of the child’s sexuality. The child realizes that certain areas of their body generate different sensations. Obviously, we are not talking about a “conscious” sexuality like that of an adult, only a physical sensation that does not exist in other parts of the body.
This child still has the perception that they are the most important man or woman in their parents’ lives. When they realize that their parents do not sleep with them at night, however, they experience a great confusion in their mind, which leads to a feeling of exclusion.
This structure is always formed in the relationship of the girl with the father and the boy with the mother. They create an unconscious competition for the love of the parent of the opposite sex. When we talk about father and mother, it is not necessarily the biological parents, but rather those who represent this role in the child’s life.
What is this person like?
The defense mechanism of this phase makes people extremely competitive, very active and with a well-defined body. Rigid individuals are perfectionist and usually have a more refined aesthetic taste than other character structures.
They are very concerned with beauty and can’t stay still. They have to be doing something all the time. They often have well-defined muscles and a seductive body full of curves. Their gaze can also be seductive, and even challenging, as if saying “try to conquer me”.
How do they behave?
They may struggle in relationships due to the fact that their first “love” for their parent was not reciprocated. Holding back is common, due to fear of getting hurt again.
Their internal conflict can also separate love from sexuality, giving their heart to one person and their sexuality to another. However, this does not necessarily mean that the rigid person will always cheat on their partners. In summary, character structures do not determine rules about people, only possibilities.
Betrayal only happens when the rigid character remains in their existential pain. They can be faithful, and even create an internal competition to always be better than any “threat” to their relationship.
When the rigids decide to be the best for themselves, and not to prove something to others, they can open their heart and give themselves wholeheartedly in relationships, work, and any other area of life.
To have a healthier relationship with this person, especially in a romantic relationship, do not let them put you in the position of the mother or father. Be partners, and show that you are there to join forces, unleashing the potential of both. Encourage them to pursue their goals with their feet on the ground, without the need to control everything!
Can character structures change over the course of a lifetime?
Among the schools of thought that study the topic, there are different opinions on this question. While some say that character structures never change, others believe change is possible.
If we take into account that our combination of character structures is shaped by the experiences we’ve had from the womb up to around six years old, then after a phenomenon called neural pruning, which happens during this stage, our character structures would, in theory, remain the same forever.
In practice, what we observe is that at different stages of life, people tend to express certain character structures more strongly than others. This usually depends on whether they are in emotional distress, or in flow, using their strengths or accessing the superpowers of that structure.
An example: a person with a dominant oral structure operating from pain may gain a lot of weight and temporarily present a fuller body shape. Even so, when we perform a body mind assessment, when we look at the six areas of the body that are evaluated, the most noticeable changes would appear in the torso, while other areas, like the eyes, may show no difference at all.
Something I always do is to calibrate any physical changes by asking my client if they’ve gone through any major shifts or cosmetic procedures that may have altered their body.
Which character structures are good or bad?
Being in the pain of your character structures means looking inside and feeling that something hurts, something’s off, stuck, or just not moving forward. It’s as if something is blocking you from feeling fully well. You’re not in flow, and you’re not using the strengths or superpowers of your character structures. This is when your character structures become dysfunctional.
Being in flow of your character structures, on the other hand, feels light. It’s the sense that you can live, choose, act, feel and do. It is freedom. It’s when your character structures are being supported and are functioning in a healthy, aligned way.
Take a moment to check in with yourself. Do you feel stuck, held back, or like something’s weighing you down? Or do you feel free, happy, and at peace with your choices?
What is it like to be in the distress of your character structures?
It means something inside feels tight, stuck, or off. You’re in emotional distress, and your system is in survival mode. Maybe things aren’t flowing, or you feel like you’re holding back without knowing exactly why. In this state, your character structures are not working in your favor — they become dysfunctional, and instead of supporting you, they start getting in the way.
What is it like to be in flow of your character structures?
It’s when your character types are functional. You feel like yourself. Things move more smoothly. You’re in flow, using your strengths, and tapping into the superpowers of your personality structures. You’re not just reacting — you’re creating, choosing, living with more presence and awareness.
Take a moment and look inward. Are you in flow or distress of your character structures?
What are you feeling right now? Do you sense something is weighing you down, trapping you, or limiting your freedom?
Or do you feel light, joyful, and free to choose your path?
Allow yourself to truly experience your inner state with honesty and curiosity.
This simple awareness is the first step toward moving from distress to flow, from survival to expansion.
Awareness is just the first step. From there, it takes intention and guidance to shift how your character structures are showing up, and you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here to help you.
How Does the Character Structure Test Work?
There’s a test that helps you understand your unique combination of character structures. It’s called a body mind assessment.
In this one-on-one session, we analyze six areas of your body and use a powerful tool to identify your core wounds, where your character structures might be in emotional distress, and how to activate your strengths and superpowers so they start working for you.
Along with the character structure test, you’ll also receive guidance on how to care for and keep each of the five personality structures in flow.
If you take the test with me, you’ll get a personalized manual that maps out how your unique combination of character structures works. It includes detailed charts and a practical action plan to help you integrate those adjustments into your daily life.
Conclusion about character structures
In summary, it is important to emphasize that we all have the five character defenses. Some people will be more influenced by one of them, while others will experience a balance between several character structures.
In addition, character structures also interact with the external world to form personalities and behaviors. Two people with the same character types exhibit some similar patterns of behavior, but they are not copies of each other.
Next steps
Did you see yourself in any of the character structures?
We are a mix of five character structures with different intensities. Brazilian researchers created a method to measure the percentage of each structure in individuals. After finding out your combination of character structures, you will understand what problems you’ve been facing and how to solve them. You will receive clear instructions on how to manage and soften your character structures to make better decisions.
You will learn how to use your gifts to build a happier and healthier life. Schedule your clarity call now
