Are you born with your personality?

[*Deidre*]

I've read that our 'core' personalities are well formed (well formed consciences as well) by the time we reach pre-teen-hood. Personality 'disorders' often take shape as well during that timeframe. The naricissists and psychopaths of the world, didn't evolve as such during adulthood, but if one were to look back into their childhoods, there would be obvious signs already present, that would indicate the person has a personality 'disorder.' Our personalities are often shaped by circumstances that we were raised in. If a child is abused for example, he/she may grow up to lie a lot, because the child felt that lying was necessary in order to escape punishment. That is often how personality disorders are formed. As coping mechanisms. If we were born with our personalities already in tact, then we would be born with personality disorders, and I don't believe that is the case.