Pain is mostly unavoidable, it's the suffering that's optional.

I don't think rock bottom is necessary. If you're paying attention, you can use the guidance to address your karmic load & experience growth.

I think rock bottom tends to occur when we deny who we are & fight the lessons that the universe is presenting to us. The resistance to what is, causes us the suffering. Ignoring the guidance causes the universe to slap us harder until we relent & pay attention.

Having said that, there are no absolutes & we each arrive here with a different history and agreed set of experiences.

Know that what we meet with compassion, dissolves. The immediate people in your life are acting as mirrors, reflecting who you are or that which you judge. Show them & yourself compassion.