"Beyond Medication" Founder's Bio

I am William Macdonald AKA Wiccanwolf1,
 
I am a 47 year old Caucasian male, who was dx'ed with manic depression in 1985 during a 2 year long stay at the Northampton State Hospital in Northampton Ma for a suicide attempt that by all rights should have taken my life.
 
I am currently in a loving relationship with an other BP1 sufferer and current member of the BP Support community (Tats69).
 
Family Back ground:
I was born the middle of 3 children into a family were the father was a extremely physically, emotionally and sexually abusive individual that I found out after his death was dx'ed as sociopath, and a mother that was dx'ed with major depression which I believe was at least in part the reason for her not protecting her children.
 
Religious and spiritual background:
I was raised in a strict Catholic tradition, going to church every Sunday, and observing all rites and traditions of the faith.
It was something that I never could fully conceive and never felt like I belong to or fit in among. At the age of 21 wile still in the State Hospital, I began a inner Journey of self discovery in which I came across and read a book entitled "Drawing Down The Moon" By Margot Addler.
 
It was after reading that book and putting together memories of my own experiences with nature and the natural world, together with my own ethics and spiritual beliefs that I discover that I was indeed a Wiccan. At the age of 24, with the guidance of Raymond Bucklands " Scottish Witchcraft ", I self initiated into the 3rd level of Wicca. I chose to follow a Solitary path rather than getting involved with a Coven because I chose to avoid the dogma of organized groups and to stay away from the politics and power games that permeate so many religious hierarchies.
 
In the past 23 years of being a Solitary Witch I have spent much time in my own personal practice as well as time teaching meditation, guidance  and helping others to find there center, grounding and healing those I could. I have also written and delivered 2 Sermons to a Unitarian Universalist Church in Ma.
 
mental health history and experiences:
At the age of 19, while in the mist of a rather serious mixed episode(undx'ed at the time) I tried to commit suicide my shooting myself in the stomach which led to my first hospital stay in the State Hospital in Northampton which lasted 2 years. During that time I was originally dx'ed as having major depression and was put on amitripyline, after a number of hypo-manic/mixed episodes the dx was changed to manic depression and depakote was add.
 
Since that time I have been in 12 different hospital's and been on such meds as Depakote, Haldol, Thorzine, Welbutrin, Prozac, Abilify, Ativan, Lamical, Zyprexa, Xanax,Lithium, Seroquel, Seroquel xr and probably a few others that I can't remember. Over the years I have spent times on different combinations and have been left feeling numb, disconnect and out of touch with life around me or had various physical side affects. Which is way I have always looked for alternative ways in which to control my mood shifts and improve my quality of life.
 
I have also have over 12 years of individual therapy in which I have done work on behavioral and self discipline techniques and I have completed 18 months of DBT training in which I learned extensive mindfulness and meditative skills.
 
I should state that I have now been Med free and relatively Stable for over 2 years.
 
personal history and experiences:
 
Over the years I have spent a lot of time trying to develop different coping skills to deal with my life. I have been homeless, married, divorced, a single parent, incarcerated, single and a nomad not to mention my currant status of involved (happily, most of the time)
 
During my adventures I have learn coping and self discipline skills through mix martial arts (street fighting style), Arnis ( Filipino weapons art ), some Tai Chi, studies of Eastern philosophy, DBT, Cultural Anthropology studies, and my own Wiccan Practice( which heavily relys on meditation and self-discipline).
 
My vision for " Beyond Medication "
To create a safe environment for all people regardless of their social standing, political, religious or spiritual beliefs and for those who have no such beliefs. A place to come to and share their experience and knowledge of life coping skills and non medication therapy experience, also a place where people of less experience can come to learn and discover new ways in which they can enrich their lives and hopeful improve their quality of day to day life.