Hello,
First of all, I'd like to congratulate the poster on being so self-aware. It's great that you're able to identify where the problem lies and what has caused it.
This is already better than what many people do. Many people often lose control of their lives, but they can't find the problem or the cause.
Knowing where the problem lies is the first step towards solving it. I hope the questioner can relax and not feel bad about being unable to cope with this. You've noticed the problem and that your life has been affected, so you're already on the way to dealing with it.
Second, even though it's unclear what impact your "major event" has had on you, it's a good idea to consider it in a way that feels safe for you and express your emotions.
For instance, things like fear, anxiety, and sadness.
If you need a safe space to process this, you can be accompanied by a trusted colleague or just be alone.
Write down all your emotions on a piece of paper. This should include what you're thinking, what you're worrying about, what you're considering, and what you're torn between.
If writing isn't your thing, just speak your thoughts aloud. If that doesn't work, you can always record them with a voice recorder.
Or, just have a good cry and then work out how you're going to deal with your emotions.
If you don't mind, I'd like to quote a book here.
To eliminate internal conflicts, reduce or avoid anxiety, and maintain the integrity and unity of the personality, the self has many ways to deal with unwanted thoughts and desires, which are collectively referred to as "defense mechanisms."
The defense mechanisms are as follows:
There are eight types of repression: repression, sublimation, substitution, denial, reverse effect, rationalization, projection, and rationalization.
To put it another way, if something in your life makes you feel uncomfortable and affects your day-to-day, it will trigger your defense mechanism.
That means you'll always respond to it in these ways.
It's worth noting that these eight methods have both positive and negative effects.
Let's use an example to explain these eight ways to the original poster.
1. Repression: It's a positive effort by the self to exclude something threatening from consciousness or to keep it from approaching consciousness. It basically takes the form of forgetting.
For example, one night a young boy saw his father beat his mother. When asked about it later, the boy said he'd never seen anything like it.
2. Sublimation: The ego turns dangerous unconscious urges into socially acceptable actions. It's a solid defense mechanism.
For instance, aggressive id impulses can be redirected into activities like ice hockey or rugby.
3. Substitution: redirecting impulses towards something or someone that isn't threatening. For example, taking out anger at work on family members.
4. Denial: Refusing to acknowledge or accept certain facts.
For example, a husband who deeply loves his wife may still behave as if she were alive long after her death. He might leave a seat at the dinner table for her or tell his friends that she has gone to visit relatives.
5. Reverse action: Acting in a way that goes against your unconscious desires to avoid frightening thoughts or desires. For example, a woman might tell others how much she loves her mother, even though she actually hates her mother deep down.
6. Rationalization: Using logic instead of emotion to think about something can help you deal with difficult ideas without feeling anxious. For example, if a woman is pretending to think about why it's important to wear a seat belt, she might be imagining her husband in a terrible car accident.
7. Projection: This is when you attribute an unconscious impulse to someone else rather than to yourself. For example, a woman who thinks that all her neighbors are leading immoral private lives may have sexual desires for the married man next door.
8. Rationalization: replacing the real reason for your actions with a reason that you can accept and that your conscience can forgive. For example, sour grapes, sweet lemons, etc.
These defense mechanisms are called "defense mechanisms," and people always face them this way, although, in reality, we definitely prefer "sublimation."
My view is that as long as the original poster feels better, can recover, and can cope with the consequences,
Just choose one of the above eight.
The original poster doesn't need to worry. You might not be able to cope, but you can believe that you are coping.
It's also worth noting that not responding is a form of coping.
If you don't have the strength to deal with everything, any reason not to deal with it is the best way to deal with it.
That's the best way to handle it in the moment.
If you feel like you've got your emotions under control and you're ready to take action, then go for it.
If there's still something you haven't been able to do, then take some time for yourself. Give yourself the appropriate amount of time and space, and a break.
If you're not ready to do something and you push yourself to do it anyway, it'll only make things worse and you'll only hurt yourself.
But when you can do something as simple as asking someone a question,
That's something you can do to gradually improve your situation.
All you have to do is a little.
If you can't, you can take a little break.
Life isn't perfect. It always has its share of difficulties and regrets.
But life is also beautiful because it's always there, waiting for you to discover it. No matter how tough it is or how embarrassing, it'll always pass, it'll always get better, and you can always turn the page and start a new chapter.
I hope this is helpful for you to refer to.


Comments
I can relate to how tough that must have been. It's really challenging when something hits us so hard that it shakes our daily routine and peace of mind.
Life throws curveballs sometimes, and this setback you faced sounds like one of those moments that left a mark. It's okay to feel overwhelmed; it's part of being human.
It sounds like this experience has been quite the journey for you. Recognizing that it's affecting you is already a step forward in itself.
Facing such a significant setback can be incredibly draining. I'm sorry to hear that it affected your mental state and daily life. It's important to seek support during these times.
That must have been a difficult phase. Sometimes we don't realize the depth of an impact until it starts interfering with our ability to function as we're used to.