The Galactic Question Center

Based on my intrinsic coping mechanisms and observational evidence, it would take a pretty traumatic event (like a near death experience, a chronic/terminal illness) to change fundamental aspects of my personality.

This, of course, begs the question: What is a fundamental personality aspect?
 

I think that if you intentionally attempt to change a fundamental aspect of your being, you won't succeed. Seeing that these fundamental changes do in fact occur, however, it may be possible to alter conditions around you (physical, psychological, or spiritual) that would nurture a change and allow it to come to fruition.
 

Always changing, searching.
 

I don't think my basic personality will change. other changes have occurred, for example I am aware of errors in my thinking that lead to depression. In spite of that, I'm pretty sure that I will continue to be a depressive person.
 

Trust me, you can change.

Elements of the totality of who you are can be changed to alter the overall expectations of your personality.

It's true. I did it.
 

This is a good question for Phineas Gage.
 

I once wrote a short science-fiction story (for an english examination) Based around the theory that the human mind was ultimately managed by one neuron (this is actually a real theory) and that this neuron's movements was based around euler's constant. It was interesting to write about the realization of the characters that they had no free-will. On the question at hand, I know people that have undergone big personal changes, but it's really the way you look at it, either you believe you can't change and you do, or you believe you can and it appears you do. The question is up to you.
 

People have to adapt in order to survive if a person chooses to stay the same even if certain behavior is not condusive to the social structure or to a healthy, balanced life then they are bound for rocky times.
 

I think a person can change if they are willing to over time.
 

I'm not the person I was 5 years ago, I hope I'm not the same person 5 years from now.
 

People do change with time. I don't know if there was ever a person that was the same at 16 as 60.
Gross changes, however, usually require gross events.