# Need help dealing with someone in emotional crisis **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 21, 2018, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-dealing-with-someone-in-emotional-crisis/809260 "2018-02-21T11:20:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-dealing-with-someone-in-emotional-crisis/809260/21 "2018-02-25T00:31:12Z")
I’ll just repeat that this is not job-related it has to do with a volunteer group, a panel of equals that depends on collegiality and goodwill to get our work done. One person is abusing that structure and only the group can really do anything about it. I don’t think he’s finished his bad behavior yet, so we’ll see what happens next. ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-dealing-with-someone-in-emotional-crisis/809260/22 "2018-02-25T08:52:38Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I’ll just repeat that this is not job-related it has to do with a volunteer group, a panel of equals that depends on collegiality and goodwill to get our work done. One person is abusing that structure and only the group can really do anything about it. I don’t think he’s finished his bad behavior yet, so we’ll see what happens next. it doesn’t matter if it is a volunteer group or not. You mentioned you were losing sleep about this problem. Why do you have to wait to see what happens next? Did you post because you really wanted to solve this problem, or you like playing victim? If this person isn’t making a useful contribution and is disruptive the way you described, then they have to go. Period. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-dealing-with-someone-in-emotional-crisis/809260/23 "2018-02-25T13:48:11Z")
I’m sorry so many here have trouble understanding the situation, **Roderick Femm**. I hope things do get better for your groups. You have had some helpful advice here despite all the not-so-helpful and you seem very good at sorting out which is which. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-dealing-with-someone-in-emotional-crisis/809260/24 "2018-02-25T14:42:40Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Sudden and fairly extreme change in personality and behavior, including **verbal rambling** and **excessive argumentativeness**. I have not been close enough to smell alcohol, but his face has been rather red. He also seems **much more energetic than usual** , at least verbally. > > I am not drawing conclusions at this point, especially about the substance that might be involved, just wondering if a substance might be the immediate cause (fueled by his emotional distress). I’m not sure if it matters, it might make it either easier or more difficult for him to control if he decides he wants to. Bolding mine. It _might_ be drugs, but that also sounds like a hypomanic episode. Untreated those can last for months. Hell, even treated they can last for months. Severe irritability, more energy/less need for sleep and the inability to shut up are the key features of how my bipolar parent is when hypomanic. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-dealing-with-someone-in-emotional-crisis/809260/25 "2018-02-26T13:14:24Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I don’t think he’s finished his bad behavior yet, so we’ll see what happens next. Sounds like you handled it well - good on you. And you are probably correct that this isn’t over. Just continue to do what worked, consistently. You can’t fix his problem, but you don’t have to let it disrupt the group’s work. Good job, and keep it up. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-dealing-with-someone-in-emotional-crisis/809260.md?page=1)