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Personality Change

Personality determines the usual way a person thinks, behaves, and reacts to everything in the environment. An individual's personality is fairly constant from day to day. It is influenced by family, culture, experiences, and biological factors. Unusual changes in behavior can signal a mental or physical health change.

Examples of personality change include:

• confusion

• delusions (false beliefs despite evidence to the contrary)

• violent behavior

• withdrawal

• paranoid behavior (thinking "they" are out to get you) or

• acting out in ways one normally would not

Changes in thinking and behaving can be caused by:

• dementias associated with Alzheimer's, AIDS, strokes and other problems

• a brain tumor or head injury

• alcohol or drug abuse

• adverse effects of medications or

• depression, a traumatic event, or other stress

Slow changes, such as those which occur in Alzheimer's and AIDS dementia, may be missed by friends and family. Sometimes it takes someone who has not seen the affected person for a while to notice a change. Anyone with a sudden or gradual personality change should be medically evaluated.

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