Well, if someone isn't psychotic then an anti-psychotic won't make them whatever is the inverse of psychotic?

So basically if you aren't psychotic then all you get are the side effects and probably some sedation.

Equally if someone isn't depressed thaen anti-depressants won't make you feel better. If they did then there would be an illegal trade in them.

Antipsychotic drugs tend to block dopamine D2 receptors in the dopaminergic pathways of the brain. This means that dopamine released in these pathways has less effect. Excess release of dopamine in the mesolimbic pathway has been linked to psychotic experiences. Decreased dopamine release in the prefrontal cortex, and excess dopamine release in other pathways, are associated with psychotic episodes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

So if you don't have a mental disorder or need for these meds, then your messing around with your Dopamine levels in your brain for no reason. Dopamine is a chemical that your body needs, and if your levels were to be moved up and down for no reason, it can make you sick. Also, any anti-psychotic med that you look up has about 50+ side effects, some of them very serious, so you would also be subjecting yourself to those, for no reason.

As for Anti-Depressant meds, whether they be SSRI or SNRI they alter your brains Serotonin and/or Norepinephrine levels, these are also chemicals that your body needs and depending on your Mental State how much you have is important.

If a perfectly healthy person, with a perfectly healthy brain were to take a medium - high does an anti-depressants every day they could develop Serotonin Storm or Serotonin Syndrome, your brain can only manage so much Serotonin, then it gets sick and it can get very sick.

I'm not sure if you're trying to rationalize a way to not take these meds, or if your Pdoc is making changes you don't care for. But, generally these are normal medications for a BiPolar Cocktail. Anti-psychotics are mood stabilizers and anti-depressants work towards the depression. If your manic more than depressed you might ask your Pdoc about and SNRI Anti-depressant as they are geared more toward Mood and complex diagnosis as opposed to SSRI anti-depressants.

Take care,
kat

Thanks guys! That's a lot of great information!

I'm not in any way shape or form thinking about going off my meds. I guess I'm just trying to still accept the fact that I have bipolar disorder in a way. And thinking that my meds would have no effect if I didnt need them sort of validates that i do have it. Does that make sense?

It makes perfect sense skitty. I think all of us in our first few years of BiPolar tried to think, bargain, rationalize and just figure out how not to take half the meds we were told we had to take.

Back when my Depression was bad an I was suicidal once a year or so and in patient all the time, I had like 5 or 6 meds in my Cocktail and I hated it. I was constantly looking for ones that "really didn't do anything" so I could drop it...but my Pdoc was smarter than me and he usually won the argument about dropping meds. The 2 times I just decided I was "cured" back when I was young and stupid, they were both just complete disasters.

If you didn't really need those meds and you were taking them everyday, your body would tell you there was a problem. I've had Serotonin storm, and it is not a fun thing to recover from.

It takes time and sometimes a lot of time, but you'll get to the point where you accept and understand that BiPolar is a part of your life and you have to live them weaved together. Nobody can force you to understand that, it will come in its time when your ready to accept it. Until then Fish and I shall do our best to answer your questions. :0)

Take care!

Thanks. You guys are the best. (-:

When I was diagnosed and put on AP's I was hearing voices and seeing 'shadow people' SO they absolutely helped me to feel better and pretty quickly to!

I've taken an AP for years. It helped get rid of my depression, along with an antidepressant, it got rid of my racing thoughts, agitation, anxiety, rage attacks, and other BP symptoms. The AP saved my life. I'm now just starting Rexulti and it is a great AP. I feel really good on it.

I have no doubt that APs help people that need them.

Becky, I'm on rexulti too. It saved my life. But now it keeps tanking out on me. The pdoc keeps upping my dose but it only helps for a couple weeks before I start slipping again. I'm on 3mg now, only 1 to go and I'm maxed out. /-: