when things aren't going right...

As usual, was in the MRT today travelling back home. Everything and everyone looked quite mundane. The people appeared tired (probably after a long day at work), and the train was swaying as it rushes through the tracks. As I scanned through the faces, I noticed a lady who appears to be, maybe in her 50s, and she looked as if she was talking to herself and quite animatedly too. She would look at her mobile phone, gesture a bit, and then her lips would move as though in conversation. I happened to be sitting quite far apart from her, so can't hear what she was saying.

Suddenly, she shifted in her seat, and using her free hand (the other hand was holding a mobile phone), she made a fist and hit her head hard with her own knuckles! I was shocked! Then, she would lean back onto her seat and after a few seconds, she looked at her mobile, her mouth moved, and again, she shifted in her seat, and hit her head once more! It was like, she had this pattern. She must've have hit her head about 4-5 times in a span of 10 minutes...

I was stunned.  How do we react when we see such a scenario? How can one approach the person in question (in an attempt to prevent her to cause more harm for her/himself) without putting ourselves at risk?


What would you do?

Sanity and insanity is just a fine line. Would we know if we had crossed over that line? If we are not aware, would others come and tell us? If they did, how would we react? But of course, if the chemicals in our brain is not balanced, the way we think or form our thoughts would be affected...