The description, from Aaron's writings, sounds like untreated (and possibly undiagnosed) bipolar.

I may be seeing this through bipolar-coloured glasses - I don't have it myself, but I have loved ones with it and know very well what it looks like from outside. It's not normal ups and downs of mood, it can be really scary stuff.

The legal case probably didn't help, but it's quite possible there could have been no way to stop this short of someone present on depression watch.