I suffered a serious mental health break down ten years ago. My experience was that I did indeed ignore that there was "something wrong with me", eventually after hiding it for so long it felt like being in a car crash. So I totsally relate your metaphor of going over the cliff. I became adept at ignoring the subtle shifts, the internal tremors that signaled an impending crisis. The illusion of control, fostered by our ability to keep busy, prevents us from creating the necessary "space to be ill and recover," a space where true healing and resilience are forged.
Thank you for sharing.
I think that we are conditioning ourselves to ignore, but lessening our abilities to notice them at all. We are reducing our personal management skills, replacing them by distraction.
Have you been able to adjust yourself so you don't end up in that kind of crisis again?
I hope so - living life in the quiet lane. Yoga and poetry help. I've also limited the time I spend on news and propaganda.