When is Losing It normal?

[Mike03]

Normally I'm a very disciplined person, but I have noticed that over the past three months I'm starting to creep back into bad habits. The only reasons I can think of is that my dad was diagnosed with cancer, my beloved dog had to be put to sleep, and my entire life has been turned over, two people very close to me are addicts to prescription pain medicines. But I have always been obsessed with being disciplined and having a very structured life, but I'm getting a bit sloppy and insecure now.

Is this normal or do I need to really crack down on myself and get back to normal? It's just really a confusing time for me. I've never experienced the possible death of a parent, or just so much loss in a short period of time. (And there are some things I can't really mention on a message board).

[crim son]

1. It's normal. And you need to crack down on yourself.

I'm very sorry you're going through so much pain and difficulty, but perhaps the fact that you are asking the question might indicate that you recognize your response is not healthy. Just a thought, from somebody who has been there. :hug:

[Kajsa]

2. You're being affected by everything going on

in your life- it adds up and we aren't always free to express
our emotions.

IMHO, it's completely normal to feel " out of it" when dealing
with so much loss. I know, it happened to me too.

:hug:

[Skittles]

3. you are normal, Mike

you're reacting to having to deal with too many things at once......be good to yourself and feel free to seek professional help if you ever feel like your world is spinning out of control.

[Ellen Forradalom]

4. Cut yourself a little slack, my friend

It is perfectly normal to "lose it" under such duress. I suspect your "undisciplined" would be anyone else's "highly organized."

[skyblue]

5. You're going through a ton of stuff. There might be related support groups?

Break it down into what's realistically doable maybe? Hope you find your "happy/content" place.

[lost-in-nj]

6. Your normal

but you need to crack down on yourself so it doesn't spiral...
If you need to go to counseling, just talking and getting everything out is cathartic.
:hug:
sorry you are going through this.....



lost

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

7. When you play for the Miami Dolphins...

But seriously, you're going through a lot of stuff. It's completely normal to feel like your life is out of control because your life really is out of control -- it always was, truth be told, it's just that sometimes it's more obvious than others. You need to give yourself permission to work through this and not feel like you're a slacker for needing some time. And how much time do you need? Don't worry about that -- altough I strongly suspect that you're a confirmed clock-watcher -- it takes what it takes.

If you've been leading a structured and disciplined life, maybe your current troubles are an opportunity for you to step back and decide how much of that structure you really (really) need and how much you've imposed on yourself to no particular benefit. If you have a friend whose opinions you trust, talk through it. If not, while I don't normally recommend counseling at the drop of a hat, that might well the right option at this point in your life.