3. Bargaining Rewriting the past to avoid the pain In non-death losses, I don’t bargain by begging.I bargain by analyzing. I call it a review. I call it a post-mortem. I call it being responsible.But if I’m honest, it’s my mind trying to rewrite the past just enough to make the pain feel optional. It … Continue reading Post-Mortem Analysis: Moving Beyond Guilt and Blame
Anger: the mind tries to regain control Anger is often mislabeled. People treat it like a character flaw, a loss of control, an embarrassment. But in the aftermath of collapse, anger can be something else entirely: Anger isn’t weakness. It’s information. It tells you where your boundaries are.It shows you where the line was.And it … Continue reading The Role of Anger in Regaining Control
Shock doesn’t always look dramatic.Sometimes it looks quiet.When the nervous system locks up, it can show up as numbness, time distortion, and a strange, surreal feeling of being present—but not fully there. Psychology often frames this as an acute stress response (including “freeze” states) and dissociation. Sociology has its own lens: when life ruptures, you … Continue reading Coping with Shock: How to Regain Control and Stability
Standing on the Ledge 