Why is my rating dropping?

Just to clarify, I am not one of those people who take "ratings" extremely seriously; I do however, pay attention to it as it is a good way to measure improvement. I am constantly trying to improve at chess, specifically because most of my friends who play chess are rated between 1500 and 1900 while I am currently perhaps only a 1450-ish player.

However, lately I have been dropping quite a bit rating-wise and feeling like I am "missing everything" at times. Before then I have been generally improving (of course with the common fluctuations ratings bring), but recently it is like I am another person- and not for the better. Frustratingly, I do not feel as if I have been doing anything different (from amount played, to openings, to tactics etc.) Why is my rating dropping? Likewise, how can I reverse the current trend, and begin improving again?

A few days ago I was even up to 1498 for a short while, but slowly after have dropped to about 1360. I play 10 minute blitz chess, so perhaps rating fluctuates more in that than daily games - but time controls are not the problem as I have always (now still) played OTB games with much longer time controls too.

https://www.chess.com/member/kesetokaiba viewing the past 90 days on the graph says it all.

Is this a slump, a weird phenomenon, or am I over-reacting to blitz rating fluctuations?

Furthermore, how can I return to going up in rating? I am not greatly stressed over the results of a game, but I do want to improve - even if that means long term correct improving. Any thoughts from anyone is welcome

i think this is normal, i have had a similar problem with tactics and games. i go up a good number of points and then go down. does a loss affect you? if you look at that loss straight away and try to understand where you went wrong and play through that game a few times. i find this better than playing another game, which i may loose and then another. it leaves me feeling quite down and tired. when i win i get excited and want to play again. i think the mental/emotional state and how you want to play affects the game.

From what i can see.  All youre playing is 10 minute games.  

You need to play longer time controls, so you havew time to think, and use what youre learning.

Thanks for the feedback so far.

simon1138 I always look at the computer analysis after each game to understand what went wrong, or where it may have been easier - and you're right it certainly helps.

FishEyedFools, thanks as well. However, like I said - I still frequently play OTB games with long time controls, so I think this has little to do with it.

It's normal to have both rating and performance fluctuations(in my experience). It's usually either because you're trying to apply new concepts to your games but don't fully understand them, in which case you should have a "sudden" perfomance and rating increase after a few games of learning to apply the concepts. Or it's just a chess burn out, or coming back from a long break.

I call this crazedheatophobia where your body gets tense and you start raging lots, make a ton of blunders, and, in chess, lose tons of rating points. My largest drop has been up to 150 points in blitz!

After reading the newer posts here, I feel a bit more clarity on my position rating-wise - so thanks for all of the thoughts shared. 

Nino_98 thanks especially, as the "new concepts" may be true - although I did not really think of it that way.

I prefer 3 min blitz or bullet games of 1 min. Playing a long period of bullet spoils blitz. Playing a long period of blitz spoils bullet.

 you said you are a 1450 player, do you think it is possible for you to play all the time with 1450? only a machine can do that, if the machine was programmed to play like a 1450 she is always going to play with that strength, a human is not like that, there are going to be times that you play as a 1300 and times that you can play as a 1500, when you improve this thing improves too, in my case lets say I am a 1900, in my worst day I can play like a 1800 but in a really good I can be near to 2000

 I realize that I am not obligated to respond to this forum after every few posts, but it is one way that I show "I value the writings herein". Thank you for everyone's insight posted so far.

I guess I realize that chess players are human, and rating fluctuates, but I was not really sure if a deviation of over 100 points was normal. I know that it is probably more common to fluctuate in rating with blitz versus classical (due to more games played in the same time frame). However, this forum seems supportive to the perspective that this fluctuation is okay (arguably even necessary for being human). I am thinking back, and although in many games I could have done better - all of my opponents played well; I am sure that when the deviations reaches a new equilibrium I should "gain back" what I dropped from (likely not to 1500 immediately in my case but perhaps 1450 range).

This forum may be somewhat therapeutic, but I really hope that some readers of this forum may benefit from this too - when in a similar scenario. 

If anyone drops a lot of rating in a short period of time, it can be alarming. However, if no "cause" is seen such as the incorporation of new concepts, or "burn out" or fill in whatever, the drop may just be fluctuation - and certainly no reason to give up. I enjoy chess, and did not even consider giving up, but I hope that those not sharing identical vigor for the game are able to perhaps read this and be inspired to continue this quest of improvement.

Thank you for everyone's contribution to this forum. Aside from me, maybe only one, or perhaps two people will benefit from this forum - but if ANYONE benefits, it is because of EVERYONE'S contribution.

I would suggest taking some of your losses and analysing them - not through the computer, as you say you've done, but just by yourself. It'll help you figure out your weaknesses much better, it'll stick in your mind. Only after you've done this, run it through the computer to see what you missed, etc.

This has happened to me too. The reason I have losing streaks (this may be different to you) is that I just play one bad game then I am not confident so I start to keep on losing by making irregular blunders that a 900 could see. In one day, I dropped from my best (1496) back down to 1370~

Anyone talking about tactics? I was 1150 and now 800

It is normal, and it's nothing to worry about. Just concentrate on learning and improving and having fun. Just because you lose some rating points, it doesn't mean that your chess understanding is going down. I would say, don't even worry about it at all. 

I have you all beat I've recently gone on such a terrible losing streak that I went from well over 1700 in blitz to 1400. the worst thing is Ive lost at least 10 to 15 of my last 20 games in a won position on time. Check my stats I have about 3 wins in my last 25 trys against 1400 and 1500 players when a couple weeks ago I was beating 1600 players no problem. Just in a slump. 

What you could do is improve in the areas you're weak in. Try to improve your skills and apply them in long time controls.

If you become a stronger in long time controls you will become stronger in blitz, too because you will know what to look for or you will spot the important aspects of a position much faster.

Simple example: A player loses because he overlooked the scholar's mate. Then he learns to spot threats of his opponents before thinking about his plans and moves.

This way the player recognizes a scholar's mate much faster and could react appropiatly.

But that also means that the player is able to spot the scholar's mate in blitz/bullet games much faster because he knows the pattern.

So don't worry. Just relax and improve yourself, play longer time controls.

If you feel like it take a break. We're not professionals after all.

 Thank you everyone for your thoughts. By now I have clearly been out of this slump, but I still have ties to this forum; I hope it will serve as inspiration, motivation, and advice for those in the same position that I was in when I created this forum. Simply by the nature of the rating system, rating swings are inevitable for the improving chess player. I want this forum to encourage those in a slump to push on; they will rebound in rating, in due time, I am sure. Perhaps even I myself, in my next slump, will reference back to this forum.