[qgc]

The idea here is adaptive traits becoming maladaptive over time as a situation changes. So you develop a coping mechanism that, temporarily, is better than not coping with the situation you're in, but as either the situation changes or becomes long-term, it ends up disrupting your ability to engage in higher-order functioning or pursue "happiness" or "meaning" in your life.

The fact that stuff happens in life that makes you suffer is something you generally learn to deal with early on, and most people can handle a bit of suffering, but where things get challenging is when the "second order" stuff stops you from being able to see the goal you're shooting for, the light at the end what makes the suffering something you were able to tolerate.