The personality is the set of characteristics that determine the behavior of people and distinguish them from the rest. She shapes the identity by which we are known to the world or in our environment.

It is composed of elements of a genetic nature that remain fixed throughout life, such as temperament, and others of a social nature associated with factors, such as character and attitudes.

Elements that make up the personality:

Many aspects of various kinds combine in the formation of the personality of an individual, it is a property that defines him as an authentic and unique being in the world.

Among the elements that interrelate to shape personality, one of the main ones is temperament; It is the basis of character since from the birth of the individual it is in charge of conditioning those behaviors that it exhibits to the world.

Temperament is closely related to the way we deal with experiences or events from an emotional point of view and is different for each person. In general, it remains fixed and unchanged during all stages of the individual. (From birth to old age).

The way in which feelings are expressed and accommodated, as well as emotions, are decisive factors of the personality. In fact, they define the way of being of a person and influence the conceptions that others have about them.

Another fundamental factor is expressly related to thoughts, which build reality and act actively on the actions undertaken by each person, the individual can show a positive or negative trend.

Each person has their own style and exhibits a series of behaviors that generally remain fixed over time and allow other individuals to predict in a certain way the behavior that someone will exhibit when faced with certain stimuli or in certain situations.

Is it possible to change the personality?

Although for a long time there was the belief that it was not possible to change the personality in view of the fact that it was considered to be of a fixed and unalterable nature, today it can be verified that there are changes in the personality.

However, there are various levels and conditioning aspects that produce changes in the personality of an individual. Among them, the following elements should be highlighted as triggers:

Because of diseases

Some pathologies can trigger within their main effects a change in the personality of individuals through an alteration in the character and behaviors that they showed to the world. Illnesses can drastically change an individual’s behaviors.

Diseases that contribute negatively to personality changes are: Epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s chorea, Brain cancer, Dementia, depression, schizophrenia, psychosis, degenerative diseases, Korsakoff syndrome, among others.

Of psychological origin

Certain events, due to their significance, influence and impact on people’s lives, can cause changes in the personality, which can be positive or negative.

They can be difficult episodes to overcome such as the death of a family member, which generate deep pain, the acquisition of new responsibilities or a change in life due to a transfer to a city other than ours. All, in their own way, are determining factors that exert great influence on the personality and shape it in a certain way.

Some of the conditions that can contribute to personality changes are: Grief over the death of a loved one, the birth of children, marriage, divorce, retirement, puberty, adolescence, menopause, moving, among other.

It should be noted that the maturation process contributes positively to the change in personality, it is considered that people tend to be better in many aspects over the years.

Of a social nature

Some personality changes may be due to factors external to the individual such as: Social or coercive pressures from the environment that promote the change of the person’s own behaviors, thoughts and emotions that may come from the family group, people close to the individual, to win acceptance of others or by belonging to a group.

Other aspects that can shape someone’s personality are: Unemployment, economic problems, changes in status or the roles that they have to play.

Some medications:

The consumption of some prescription drugs to treat various pathologies has negative effects that can alter the personality. Certain formulas such as antidepressants, medications to restore thyroid functions, birth control pills, as well as the consumption of certain toxic substances such as alcohol or drugs such as cocaine.

How does the personality change occur?

It is carried out through explicit changes in the habitual behavior of the individual, fluctuations in character and in the ways of coping with stimuli, that is, the responses that are emitted based on these.

There are many conditions that can generate a change in the personality of individuals, such as those described in previous paragraphs, but most are not by free choice, however, on certain occasions, some people by free choice change aspects of their personality that in some way or another they dislike them or have caused them some conflict.

The steps required to carry out a change at the personality level consist of the implementation of a series of corrections aimed at achieving the proposed goals. The first movement should be aimed at identifying that or those aspects that we want to change.

The following actions should revolve around personal work constantly through the creation of short and long term strategies.

It is not an entirely simple task but it is possible and quite probable to obtain success through the changes or transformations that each of us considers in order to be better people.

By Dr. Eric Jackson

Dr. Eric Jackson provides primary Internal Medicine care for men and women and treats patients with bone and mineral diseases, diabetes, heart conditions, and other chronic illnesses. He is a Washington University Bone Health Program physician and is a certified Bone Densitometrist. Dr. Avery is consistently recognized in "The Best Doctors in America" list.

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