I think you're sharing a fairly common delusion! After 3 years of arrests and hospitalizations I was forced to admit that I had an illness that could be treated. Sounds like the fear of relapse has done you well to maintain some balance!

I think this feeling is probably pretty common. I would say getting to a point where you question the diagnosis is probably a good thing since it means you have the condition managed and are in a balanced state of mind. Definitely not stopping meds is important but I can understand why that comes up. I think meds are the hardest part of the condition to accept. Was for me for a long time. Especially as a young wife wanting babies in the next couple years.

Oh Kisses you are hardly alone on this! Good for you to have a healthy fear of relapse.

you're not alone in this desire. but it's now september and i'm telling you having been just released from hospital in june and again in april - it's NOT worth it. you WILL relapse. we fight hard for stability and functionality, don't cede ground because of some fairy tale delusion of "normalcy." first, there's no such thing as normal, and second, we do a lot better - live healthier, fuller, more stable lives when we admit and accept that our brains and body chemistry is different. there is no inherent wrong in that. what's wrong is when we try to measure ourselves against an impossible standard, fail to meet it, beat ourselves up for that failure and "decide" that in order to be "normal" we should give up our meds and strive to live like "everybody else." don't do yourself the damage of trying to be someone you're not. work to love and accept yourself as you are - with your unique needs (knowing you're not alone in having those needs - we're all beepers here). acceptance and adherence are key to being the best you can be.

Hugs to you all.

I haven't used med therapy for allot of years, but my first functional step toward the goal of getting off meds was accepting that my notions of "Normal" were thoroughly delusional and "Cured" ain't gonna happen. Managing this condition without meds calls for plying holistic measures with the same cruel regularity it takes to stay on your meds. I still have to keep condition-related appointments while maintaining the daily routine therapies.

Small steps, Kisses. Continued support while you find what works for you.

Please accept the wisdom of the crowd on this. before DS got gutted by the developers I had a survey of people who were med free - I think there was only one (where it was genuine bipolar and not some diagnosis SNAFU) that had been sort of successful - and probably a 100 that had learnt the hard way.

The meds as others have said can make the problem less apparent and so I think probably most of us have thought at one time or other maybe there had been a mistake with the diagnosis.

Unfortunately quitting can then provoke an episode that can't be got back under control with the original meds / dosages.

It's a bit like spending a few months enticing a man eating tiger into a shed. After a bit of banging and crashing, some bright spark says "will it's all quiet now, I expect the tiger is going to be nice and friendly now".

And opens the door.

Im like that often. Here we have just had a huge loss of someone who stopped her meds cold turkey about 3 months ago aprox and is no longer with us sadly. Its not safe at all. Im glad so far uve been able to stop yourself doing it. It took me 3 months to get off my mood stabilzer and that i did quicker than advised.

i stopped my meds for a week.... started hallucinating :/

Sometimes I feel the same way...like maybe I don't need all of these meds. But I wouldn't recommend it because you could have bad mood swings.

I think people feel like that because meds are working ya know..... People stop meds and they're no longer working..... Gentle hug.... I think we all do hear you sweetie.......xo

I though I learned my lesson once a year after I was diagnosed. Ended up in hospital and lost my job and my friends. The meds are working. It's just that with the holidays coming I always get depressed so I figure if the meds were working I wouldn't get depressed. But I suppose the meds can't fix everything

Maybe I differ because I went misdiagnosed and unmedicated for years. Having a diagnosis made sense, does not define me, and I have to manage it like any other disease. I got second and third opinions, and was in total acceptance, because it was that puzzle piece that has been missing for years.
No one is truly "normal"- mental illness or not. I learned that at a very young age.
Sometimes it takes time, therapy, self love to be okay with it all. Prayers for strength and peace, my friend.