OH yeah! It TOTALLY feels rational at the time!
I don't take it well either. My response can be summed up in one onomatopoeia. "PFFFFT!!!" I think they're being ridiculous! (I know what I want. So get out of my way!)

It's a hard thing. You know, the standard advice about bringing up a topic when people are calm and not in the heat of the moment so it can be rationally discussed? It's kind of hard to find such a moment, isn't it? At least in comparison with "regular" situations. Like you say, it's "hard to communicate with someone who isn't thinking clearly". And it's not necessarily the case that it's a momentary thing when we're in an episode(!) Whoever needs to let us know is up against a tricky situation for sure. So often it really can't wait till we're rational again. And we sure don't want to hear it at the time we actually need to(!) Argh!

You know how they talk about making a contract when you're feeling well about what should be done when certain indicators are reached? (Like taking away credit cards before manic spending gets out of control.) I guess that'd be one approach anyway. We're still not going to want to hear it of course(!) But having it codified might help give a reality check, since it was made as a team with those who care about us. "Oh. Yeah. Guess that was one of the things." (Followed by, "Damn!" Lol.) It might help to remind us that they are doing it because they care, not because they are attacking us. Might be part of an approach to the issue anyway.

Wow, this is feeling rambly! Not sure I'm even making sense. If there's anything useful, help yourself to it, if not, ignore.