Absolutetly true. Sometimes the "better-then-worse" part has to happen several times. The key is to not give up and don't be so hard on one's self.
And to recognize that dealing with this issue head-on, and fixing yourself, is Job #1 for a period of time.
When the flight attendant tells us to" place the mask over our own mouth before helping our children put on their masks" they are giving good advice to all of us in life.