People went through life's crisis usually changed because the power of crisis is very big. The outcome can be good or bad. However there is no guarantee for the direction of change. It could be destruction or transcendence. If you have the strong will inside you, you can change yourself in a good way, without being forced by external forces.

Those people who say "people don't change" are fooling themselves. They want to believe that "people don't change" so that they can find excuse for their laziness or weakness.