Do you think that one singular event can have a big lasting effect on someone's personality?

Answer 1

Absolutely, especially if you let it. Something happened to me in school many years ago that affected me profoundly through out my life. Unfortunately, I had no one to turn to at the time nor did I have the wisdom of age to put it in perspective.
Today my philosophy on any upsetting things that happen is to ask myself "What difference will it make 100 years from now?"

The answer to that helps me ignore many things that previously would have continued to bother me.

Answer 2

Some experts say certain personality's traits are inborn and others are developed through a life time of experiences.

"Does one singular event effect someones personality" Hmm...Yes . Especially if it is a child, the situation, and personal supports.

example: Yes, because if the event was a death, abuse, violence or any other number of traumatic event. May create in the person a mental illness ( psychosis, PTSD, depression, anxiety...). This "event" may be so traumatic it changes the delicate chemical balance of the brain. At times forever.

If you have experienced trauma that is affecting your normal daily life you should seek professional help.

Answer 3

Absolutely.

Seeing a death.
Being severely injured.
Signing divorce papers.
Losing "everything" - financially.


How a person accepts and deals with these events is up to them. But of course there will be some lasting effects.

Answer 4

Certainly... if the person in question considers the event to be so significant as to render him or her emotionally scarred (there are some good examples provided here). I also believe that the accumulation and accrual of many smaller incidents can have a lasting effect on one's personality and outlook as well.

Answer 5

Yes i was head strong thinking i was undestructible, but when the first bullet whizzes by you, you will be changed for ever. You think diffrently you move diffrently, and you eventually get used to the stress under fire. After my first tour I lost almost a full platoon. I have had dreams ever since I would think thye would go away, but they dont. It took me years to accept the fact that i done all that i can, but unfortuanly i still wake up in the night in a dep sweat and I think im there again in the jungle watching my men get K.I.A. It makes me stronger, and realize that you better live life as much as you can because if you dont before you die you are going to have so so so much to regret.

Answer 6

I believe that a dramatic event can change a person, it has been observed that even Atheists cry out to God in a moment of despair, but in most cases the effect is not long lasting, people don't adapt to change easily.

Answer 7

Depending on what the event was/is
or
Depending on what type of person the person was before the event...

yes

but that yes... will depend on other factors.

but in genral, I'd say YES.
We also learn from our experiences and an event can help shape our experiences, but it will not make us who we are or what we will persu, that will be our choice.

Answer 8

I think that is true. A dramatic event could surely change somebody's behavior when in the setting of the dramatic event.

Answer 9

Yes, my for instance, if something happens to you like your house burns down, you accidently kill a kid or you get raped, you can turn crazy or bipolar for the rest of your life. You could have been completely fine until that day. At least if it didnt happen then, you could have gotten it later in life.

Answer 10

Yes indeed an event can effect one's personality making him less trusting, socially withdrawn, resentful and on and on and on...