Yes. But a lot of it probably depends on biochemistry. If the biochemistry is raging, it's probably very difficult. But if our system has evened out, I really do believe that we have much more control over our emotions than we give ourselves credit for.

Therapies like REBT and CBT are based on the idea that we can intervene in our distressing emotions and actions by intervening in our beliefs and thoughts. There's a sticky at the top of the Psychotherapy forum listing 10 common cognitive distortions.

http://forums.psychcentral.com/psych...bout-them.html

Entire schools of therapy are based on the idea that if we apply our efforts to counteracting those thinking distortions, we can change our feelings. And I think it goes both ways. We can talk ourselves into and out of episodes. But it takes a lot of mental discipline and we have to catch it early. If I let it go, without trying to stop it, I'll fall into the abyss and it'll take me three to five days to even begin to climb out. But if I catch it right way, I can pull myself right out of it. Maybe it'll take hours, but that's far better than days.

Not everyone believes this sort of thing works. But it does work for me. Sounds like you discovered it for yourself. Congratulations!