
22. You often feel disoriented
Have you ever arrived home from work and not remembered the trip home?
“I’d go onto auto-pilot during my commute after I’d lost my brother to suicide,” Dave said. “I was already inside my home before I realized that I had no recollection of how I got there. My mind was so preoccupied with my grief; I’d often feel disoriented.”
Many people processing the emotions brought on by a time of great difficulty will complain of feeling disoriented.

They feel like they don’t know whether they’re coming or going. They find themselves getting lost on the way to a place they’ve been many times before, or feel unable to focus and concentrate.
Preoccupation with a loss or trauma doesn’t give other matters space in the brain. They are pushed to one side. The feeling of helplessness this induces makes people feel even worse about themselves.