Ah yes, "deer in the headlights" moments, not my faves either.
"How in God's name am I supposed to answer that one?...." my tongue tied by too many complicated answers, funny noises can pop out instead of a cogent answer...... left feeling like a reeling blurr of question marks-- all out of reach??

I remember that being my basic state. Lotsa therapy and hard work and time and it does get better. Learning to ride with ourselves through our cycles, what I call sea legs, is one of the skills I have found very useful. Everthing cycles on through-- if I don't figure it out this round, it'll be back for another look someday, that I know.

Getting through the low times, I try to balance "giving in" (pulling up the covers and hibernating) with coaxing myself out from under: I use "the dark chocolate treat" method or the "the bunnies need something" guilt method to make myself move..... take care of myself (like eat good food).......

Once, when I was so stuck in limbo, I made lists. One list was all the things I belived, that defined how I approach life. One list was all the things I can do (as opposed to my can'ts). It took a lot of thought. I kept the lists handy for quite a while, to jot realizations as I dove deeper into myself. At some point I started to know who I am, really.

Love for your kid is great motivation too. And sometimes meds help to push some of the biggest boulders off the road..... One bit at a time. Hang in there. Keep us posted, ok?