Our Bipolar flea survey is going pretty well. After about a week, we have 19 responses. Most people were happy with the flea analogy, but there is always a side to bipolar symptoms that may not be flea-like at all.

Our mental symptoms effect us much more than the fleas to the dogs. I often meet and work with bipolar patients who have matured so much with their illness, and have managed to learn to cope so well with its ups and downs, that yes, at times they like having the experience of their symptoms.

I had a recent chat with Tom Wootton, who advocates this view, and from my understanding is trying to help people see through and over their symptoms. I guess when one can handle life or when one has managed to survive hell, then they can also learn to accept and live well with their symptoms.

The new-wave behaviorists have really adopted this acceptance philosophy. I guess my own acceptance concept is all about befriending bipolar disorder and all the things that come with it.

In the meantime, the situation in Greece is yet again spiraling out of control. My dear country has suffered so long with a bipolar political system that it almost appeared treatment resistant. The most recent attempt to introduce some level of treatment has been attacking the weakest citizens of the Greek society. Another Greek tragedy is taking place, but this time in front of our eyes.

People voted against a bipolar political system but the remaining members of it yet again are desperate to re-establish some kind of political bipolarism.

I guess we all have a degree of responsibility for what’s taking place, but the individual responsibility argument can go way too far, especially when people’s lives are at stake. Psychopaths are pretty good at advancing the individual responsibility argument and rationalizing that the harm they do to others is often for their benefit.

How far do we, and can we, let them take it?

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Dr. Yanni Malliaris, BSc., PhD. (http://www.drmalliaris.com) is a psychologist specializing in the diagnosis and psychosocial treatment of bipolar disorder and depression. He holds a PhD degree from the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. He is the founder and director of BipolarLab.com - the first evidence-based practice offering remote clinical services to bipolar patients across the world. He is also the founder of the Hellenic Bipolar Organization, the first NGO for Bipolar disorder in Greece, which he founded in his father's memory. He is an avid CBT therapist and more recently an open water scuba diver!

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    Last reviewed: 26 May 2012