For any spouses reading that have ever sat watching your mate having an "episode" with no clue what to do, Kim and I have found one thing that does seem to work, or at least lesson the severity of the outbreak. I must admit, thought, it is probably the hardest thing to do, especially when the outburst is being directed at you.

In between the name calling and ducking flying objects, get in real close and wrap your arms around them. If they push away, hold on tighter, and just "be there" for them. I won't say this will work for everyone, and maybe it won't work for anyone else, but it does for us. During several of Kim's depressed/remorseful moments that always followed her outbursts, she would comment that she felt so alone, and that holding her would have made her feel so much better. Doing this does seem to relieve some of the more severe aspects of the outbreak, and even kept her from escalating further.

Again, I don't know if this will help, but it's something that has proven successful for us.

Warren