There is a similar pattern with OCD. I have a family member who suffers from at times debilitating OCD. And each episode is ‘kicked off’ by a ‘change of life’ / transition event. Not sure if that’s the exact thing you’re talking about, but it sounds like the kind of experience we’ve encountered.
Essentially. There’s a recurring pattern.
If you see it enough, you know what happens next.
OCD, anxiety, racing thoughts compound and grow, then it affects the person’s decision making, then they self medicate.
Round and round…