Milum, your description of your friend's sad plight brings to mind some of the cases Oliver Sacks outlines in his writings on autism--especially the part about "acute alienation from his immediate surroundings." One case in particular was that of a super-intelligent woman who was, however, incapable of relating to or identifying with other people, even to such things as the beauty of a sunset. My recollection is a bit hazy, but as I recall she would feel stress every so often, recognizing that it stemmed from her lack of involvement. Fortunately, she had a wonderful creative streak and was able to construct a coffin-like box for herself. When she felt the world closing in on her, she would retreat to her box until she could regain some control. That way she managed to lead a productive life.