recently written to a friend:

to my friend, who is very concerned about
their friend, who has lost control - 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

a theory of mind is becoming more recognized,
as feelings being the END product of a brain
process or function.  one exhibits the symptoms
BEFORE the mind even recognizes an emotion
has been engaged.

[i theorize this may be part of the process of
bipolarism.  the combos of drugs taken are
to alleviate the incorrect arousal of emotion -
successfully, in the right mixes.]

note:  emotions and feelings are not the same.

emotions - happiness, sadness, anger, love,
fear, anticipation, and so on.

feelings - are what arise in the conscious, AFTER,
the emotion[s] begin to be recognized.

imagine being overpowered by emotions, and
having no idea what they arise from.  once in
a while is one thing.  i think this happens to
everyone occasionally.  but, what if it happens
all the time?  how does one make it stop?

added today:
[some individuals for relief turn to hard drugs
to quiet their mental chaos.  it is a possibility
that prior experimentation may have caused
a 'short circuit' in the brain, which triggered
the initial aberrations in the first place.  the
cause becomes the temporary cure, irony
indeed, 'hair of the dog' in the extreme.  but,
as more 'cure' is required, it would become
more and more destructive.] 

sometimes, i write about mental 'feedback
loops', as being similar in a way to audio
feedback.  if this is a valid comparison, [i
don't know], it would make one desparate
and self destructive.

one would become immune to logic.

IF this is at all true, there is probably not
much a friend can do except helplessly wait
and worry.

when does the drive for self preservation
devolve into a simple need for peace?  and,
if it does, what is 'right'?

i'm not saying this is the case with your
friend.  just a consideration...  

see  'Looking for Spinoza' by Antonio Damasio