Any seeming normal behavior is forced, and the next explosion is uneasily waiting just below the surface, like a well-camouflaged land mine, waiting for someone to trip the trigger. The most aggressive defenders of the Watchtower Society that I have ever met were the believing walkaways and the believing castaways. They are running on guilt, fear, and anger. They are like a loyal, well trained, blood thirsty, attack dog who has been getting all his needs met by one master since birth and then the master rejects him. When this happens to a Jehovah's Witnesses, they have a deep, deep feeling of loneliness that reaches to the very depths of their being.
Living becomes a survival issue and everyone is a player for the other team.
Willpower is useless to them, and willpower is useless on them. This stage may continue until death or until a crisis allows for their defenses to be lowered enough for the start of a complete mental change. They are suffering from a condition that tells them that they failed, that they are at fault, and there are no friends out there to help. The mental pain is so intense that many, if not most, resort to some drug or behavior to self-medicate. To be in the same room with this person is to risk a confrontation.