I, too, have taken a holistic approach rather than go the continual experimentation and unpredictable side effects of med therapy. I often wonder if the folks who cringe and preach at me about it are brain-washed from watching too many drug commercials. Leaving that as theirs to sort. . .

I take my best guesses from what is mine to sort and work to forgive the cringers and preachers for over-stepping their boundaries. It is not theirs to sort. The world is full of opinions, crusaders and control freaks. Not too many of them are sources I would trust.

I couldn't live a stable life without medication. To those who can I say "Good on you." Your tone sounds somewhat judgmental but I won't judge you if you don't judge me.

Unfortunately the disorder untreated often gets worse (yes there is medical data for that) and those things that you can get away with in college life you can't if you want to have a decent job and a family.

Those of outside of the US aren't "brain-washed" by drug commercials because only over the counter stuff gets advertised and then only rarely.

Everyone is different - some people with Bipolar are still functional unmedicated - most aren't - time will tell which camp you fall into.

There are so many perspectives on this topic, each one is extemely valid. Thank you for putting your question out there. I respect both sides of the coin.

Me personally, I choose medication. And even that has been a slippery slope. I try to get by with as few (medications) and the lowest doseage as possible. Mine has run its course, and I am back to the drawing board in a healthcare system that is most noticeably flawed.

My saving grace has been counseling (she teaches me coping skills and developing self love), meditation when shit hits the fan, church (because I like it- totally not for everybody), and I am developing a support group (both here and in my community) that loves me unconditionally.

I hope you find what works best for you and people that support you in that decision.

I didn't want to take meds either. I was stable for 6 years off of them then bam....I wound up in the hospital again and loaded up on new meds with new docs. We finally found a good compromise....for me it's one pill: seroquel and therapy. Been doing very well for a while now...thank God.

I wouldn't be able to function or be stable without meds. I tried to go without a long time ago and I got terribly sick. Never again.

Im sorry i did not mean to come off as judgemental, i respect someones choice to be on meds, i know lots of people who love their meds!i do ok off meds, honestly im just scared. Scared on meds, scared off meds, if i can do well off meds for a bit im at least going to try you know?

I've gained 50 lbs on my medication but I'll take it if it means I'm stable. The lithium had drastically improved my mood. I have been on it six months and had no mania. I had my typical bout of depression in February but I made it. I am pro meds and I think the biggest reason people don't take them is the side effects. Also it takes a while to figure out what combination of meds work. If you choose not to be medicated that's on you. As long as you are responsible for yourself.

Just a late thought.... Why are you telling people details of your treatment? It's nobody's business if you're unmedicated and as you can see you only invite unwanted criticism. Better to not tell. That's my motto.

I often decide to tell people because I want to live a life that I am proud of, and I want to de-stigmatize bipolar disorder by being transparent. I want to live my life authentically and truthfully. My bipolar disorder is not something I need to keep from the people in my life. I truly believe that is the only way to normalize bipolar and make living with bipolar okay. A byproduct of this is unwanted comments from uneducated people. Overall I have determined this acceptable to deal with.

there's a free for all on unwanted comments from stupid people regardless of whether you are unmedicated or medicated. the fact is most people are clueless unless they are in the situation apart from the rare empathetic person you might be lucky enough to come across (two friends in my life). I was stable for four or five years several years ago off meds but i view that time as having been in remission as has been known to happen and then i had a relapse and had to go back on meds. any time since then i have gone off meds, mostly because of stupid comments about the side affect of weight gain, i have had a terrible time and have had no choice but to go back to meds although as yet after thirty years have not found a combination that works long-term. i am what they call med compliant but med resistant. I haven't yet given up though and still hope we will hit on the right combo of med, diet, therapy, reading, exercise, music etc that will allow me to be happy without being ecstatic and sad without being suicidal - a balance - now that would be nice. at the end of the day that is what is important and i dont really care what anyone else has to say about what it takes for me to get that balance. as tommy said it is not their business.