Discussion Is it possible to reconstruct personality after 25?

[wCvML2]

If you are aware of your traits, can you really change them or will the effort have only a temporary effect? for example, trying to lower neuroticism or to add agreeableness.

If you are over 25, did you ever try changing your personality construct after it was fully formed and did the change last?

 

[pleroman]

There are some things that are deep in there, like a 'who you are' sort of personality.
BUT
Lots of drugs and lifestyle choices can definitely alter personality. Usually temporarily but with enough abuse some permanent changes can develop. However, results are unpredictable.
It would be really kickass if I could be one of those druggies that just totally lost all respect or concern for the world and became a cool cat 'fuck off' charisma god like some manage to do.

Medical situations too. Anhedonia has changed my social persona dramatically.

 

[Little_Suzy]

Anyone can reinvent themselves at any age, especially if they relocate to more positive and supportive environments.

True, different environments (and, people) can bring out the best or worst in us, so keep this in mind as you work to strengthen your positive personality traits.

 

[not_actually_human]

is this about the big five? someone in great emotional distress will score very high on neuroticism, naturally, as they deviate away from their virtues to be in that negative. agreeableness is also subject to the same, people who have active facets that give them reason to be very emotionally involved and have aversions like that at any time will score low on agreeableness, I gather, from what little I know about these measures from taking one of those online tests years ago.

 

[Little_Suzy]

There are some things that are deep in there, like a 'who you are' sort of personality.
BUT
Lots of drugs and lifestyle choices can definitely alter personality. Usually temporarily but with enough abuse some permanent changes can develop. However, results are unpredictable.
It would be really kickass if I could be one of those druggies that just totally lost all respect or concern for the world and became a cool cat 'fuck off' charisma god like some manage to do.

Medical situations too. Anhedonia has changed my social persona dramatically.

Last year, I suffered from anhedonia. Strangely, anhedonia prevented active suicidal ideations from having a negative impact on me because I was not responding to anything emotionally or physically. The active suicidal ideations manifested as vivid and realistic intrusive thoughts. Things I'd never do, but desperately wanted to.

During this time, I was actively receiving treatment. This summer, I asked for a different type of support and received incredible resources from my therapist and mental health team, and the anhedonia gradually subsided. I hope the cool "fuck off cat" charisma you're referring to is about putting yourself first and not allowing others to bring you down or negatively impact your mental health. I also did this. Being an empath is not beneficial for people who suffer from anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Constantly absorbing that kind of energy from others keeps you in despair.

 

[QteStimBnnuy]

There may be some things for people that may seemingly stick forever, but people can chip away at it and replace/overwrite things. Then congrats. You've made it, be the person you want to be- or whatever

Change is generally difficult, whether it's temporary or not may just depend on you and how comfortable you wish to be with it. Regardless it'll take some time as per usual. Just following "People say brain developed by x age and therefore you're incapable of changing any of your personality or how you are as a person" isn't going to get one anywhere

Unless I'm greatly misunderstanding the thread, I am lacking in sleep

 

[SteamaHorns]

The way you naturally naturally react to and see things in a conceptual sense, which is basically your temperament, probably can't change unless you go through extreme measures like taking psychedelics or undergoing heavy brain damage that manages to affect just the right spots of your brain, which even then I'm wouldn't be totally sure if it will actually change your natural temperament. The thing is your natural personality doesn't truly decide your surface attributes which I would say that the Big 5 personality system partially covers. So with enough effort and favorable factors, you can definitely change your surface personality like becoming more open, agreeable, and less neurotic. I personality tend to fluctuate in my traits of agreeableness, openness, and extroversion.

I can't fully confirm this, but I feel like I know a lot of people who have many trained behaviors that probably didn't feel natural to them when they were younger, and I don't mean the basic stuff like having tact or displaying a basic level of politeness and respect, who of course are all above the age of 25.

 

[przeciwwymiotne]

If you are aware of your traits, can you really change them or will the effort have only a temporary effect? for example, trying to lower neuroticism or to add agreeableness.

If you are over 25, did you ever try changing your personality construct after it was fully formed and did the change last?

There's a book called Personality Isn't Permanent. Highly recommend