Can people really change? If you troll the Internet with simple
searches, you'll meet with a series of Web sites that offer
encouraging plans for personal change. The problem is that most
of these sites are operated by someone who's selling something,
whether it's a self-help book or a series of audio CDs aimed at
making you the best you can be. That's not to say that these
programs or books aren't of value to some people. Many people
undergo some form of self-help therapy and actually manage to
make real change in their lives, whether it's to lose weight,
quit smoking or make personality changes -- like "I want to be
more assertive" or "I will no longer be treated like a doormat."
What's tougher to find are accurate statistics on change. Stats
on quitting cigarettes, alcohol and drugs only represent
quitting a habit, and they only prove that a set of individuals
could make that one change. If you want an accurate assessment
of whether change is really possible, a better question to ask
than "Can you stop dr