Avoiding vulnerability is a common personality change response that ultimately worsens it. Understanding the paradoxical relationship between vulnerability and personality change opens new pathways for recovery.
How Avoiding Vulnerability Maintains Personality Change
- Concealing personality change from others prevents the connection that would help
- The energy required to maintain a facade when personality change is high is enormous
- Shame about personality change thrives in secrecy — vulnerability interrupts this
- Authentic expression of personality change often elicits the support that reduces it
Brené Brown's Research Relevance to Personality Change
Brown's research shows that people with high levels of shame (common in personality change) avoid vulnerability — which paradoxically increases shame and personality change. Courage to be vulnerable interrupts this cycle.
Practicing Vulnerability with Personality Change
Start small: share one authentic feeling with one trusted person. The feared negative response usually doesn't materialize — and when it doesn't, confidence in vulnerability builds.