My take is yes, awakenings are very different from soul exchanges and yet it's a fine line, they can feel very much the same and I would guess that a soul exchange can prompt an awakening- for the PERSON who "got a new soul," because while the advanced soul may be already awakened, it also just got "re-veiled" so to speak and may not remember much, and some continuity is necessary as those who know/him her will notice a difference, so it's on a personal level that the awakening is experienced, by the person who includes the old soul and the new soul.

It took me some time to conclude I did not have a walk-in per se, there was no exchange (but an awakening of both my own and the overshadowing walk-in soul that has shared my body since age 9). In the first few months it was very much like I was adjusting to someone else's body, mind and past and getting to know her daughter, friends and family - but only "like" that in a vague way, and because I was just "waking up," things were never completely new and foreign-seeming.

So after that, I decided it must be that most walk-ins would surely know they were walk-ins, they would be "told" or allowed to know somehow what strange and drastic thing had just occurred. Or I would hope it would be that way if I had a walk-in. It sounds as if the walk-ins on this forum are fairly certain of it.
So I am curious if any of you walk-ins had to take a long time, or a long process with help, with hypnosis & regression, to realize it and finally get the answer? I look forward to your feedback and so appreciate your invaluable sharing.