Why the switch to controlled behavior?

[Herodias]

Can someone please tell me how they can go from 8 years of, getting into bar fights, bringing people over to the house at 2am to get drunk with, driving drunk,accidents, womanizing, cheating, lying, getting put into rehab, mental hospitals, faking illnesses, taking pills, acting like a psycho, going to jail,cutting himself,  etc... .etc... .to nothing! Does it come in cycles? Maybe I don't know about it? Sometimes I wonder if he is trying to stay in control with the new gf just to "prove" it was all my fault he acted like that. I do know a pending felony could be whats keeping him on the straight and narrow to a degree. I guess I kept expecting a call from somewhere saying he is in trouble... .what gives?

[SummerStorm]

It's hard to tell.  My former friend is able to act controlled, at least on the surface and around people who don't know her.  She can sometimes do this for months. 

[Sunfl0wer]

My ex was never that far out of control, but he had a few episodes.

When we were breaking up, yes, he started behaving well.  I think he was out to prove he didn't need me.  I imagine he was having an identity crisis and was working really really hard to paint himself a new identity to present... .to himself as tho to prove he was better than the r/s... .worthy of walking away.  Weird.

Inside I could tell he was coming undone, hard to explain, he emanated this energy of maddening insanity brewing... .acted weird behind closed doors, ... .but almost perfect mask presentation... .he was in the process of rewriting history I am sure.

[lovenature]

Depends on their current emotion of the moment.

Look after yourself, that is all you have control of!