I changed my personality in six weeks

Pandemic, Trauma, and Personality Shifts

• Several commenters report significant shifts after major stressors: the pandemic, caring for a medically fragile child, or long NICU stays.
• Some became more confident, assertive, or “disagreeable” in a protective way, especially when fighting institutions for their children.
• Others speculate COVID changed neuroticism in different directions depending on geography, politics, and attitudes toward health measures.

Is Neuroticism Really Bad? Context-Dependent Traits

• Multiple comments stress that Big Five traits are not “good vs bad,” but context-dependent.
• High neuroticism can be adaptive: anticipating danger, detecting risk, being more self-aware, and staying safe in hostile environments.
• There is likely a “correct” level of neuroticism that varies by life circumstance and historical context; past decades were not equally safe for everyone.

Extraversion vs Introversion: Values and Misunderstandings

• Some push back on the article’s implicit praise of extraversion, arguing it pathologizes introversion.
• Others argue society rewards extroversion because it builds more and denser social ties, but also acknowledge introverts’ deep relationships and contributions.
• Several distinguish “sociability” (or social skills) from true extraversion, and note that acting extroverted can be exhausting for sensory‑sensitive or introverted people.

Can Personality Really Change, or Just Behavior?

• One camp: core traits are stable; what changes is behavior, skills, and coping frameworks (e.g., checklists for low conscientiousness, social practice for introverts).
• Another camp: if outcomes and habitual reactions change, that is meaningful personality change, regardless of underlying effort.
• Many note they’ve substantially shifted on Big Five dimensions across decades, even without deliberate programs.

Measurement Skepticism and the Six‑Week Claim

• Strong doubt that six weeks is enough to claim durable personality change; inpatient clinicians report it can take that long just to return to baseline.
• Concerns about self-report bias: wanting to see improvement after effort may “game” online tests. Suggestions include partner‑rated before/after assessments.
• Some find online Big Five or related tests inaccurate or commercially motivated, undermining the article’s evidential weight.

Therapeutic Approaches and “Personality Reorganization”

• Several reduce the article’s method to CBT plus exposure therapy.
• Others reference 12‑step programs (reframed in secular terms) as long‑standing systems aimed at deep personality reorganization.
• Debate over viewing addiction as moral “sin” vs health problem, but broad agreement that abstinence and structured community help many.
• One therapist argues changing environment (job, relationships, routine) is usually easier and more effective than trying to directly change personality.

Alternative Frameworks and Cautions

• Adlerian psychology and books like “The Courage to be Disliked” are cited as empowering alternatives to purely trauma‑based narratives.
• Mindfulness is called overrated by at least one clinician, who says strong claims often fail in rigorous outcome studies.
• Some warn that excessive introspection and “thinking about thinking” can itself fuel neuroticism and overthinking.

Meta-Discussion

• A minority dismiss the topic as “drivel” compared to more serious issues like mental illness and personality disorders.
• Others argue that even modest shifts in traits like conscientiousness or neuroticism can dramatically affect life outcomes and suffering, making this line of work worthwhile.