I was on a lot of meds when first dxed w/bipolar, anxiety, PTSD & Adhd. I needed them to get me on my feet. I was non-functioning before the meds & paranoid & delusional. But after 12 yrs, & numerous attempts at therapy (basically they just said "poor you--what a rough life you've had without giving me specific tools to deal w/the reality of life now), I have found much relief through Dialectical Behavioral Therapy & indiv. therapy w/the same Ph.D. doc that teaches the DBT classes.

I have now been able to get off Abilify (after 12 yrs. & I did need it to stabilize me & get me ready to learn from therapy), off Trazodone, off Klonopin as I used to take it every night, but have it in case I have a panic attack or something, decreasing dosage of Lamictal.

Had to go up on my dosage of Lamictal a couple weekjs ago due to having a rough time but now am dropping it down again (with permisssion from psychiatric nurse practioner).

Done EMDR w/therapist & that has basically eliminated 90% of the nights I can't sleep at all.

SO meds were essential to get me to the point of being able to learn from therapy. Now that I am improving through the DBT I am now getting off the meds that were necessary at the time. Once you go on meds doesn't mean you are going to be on them indefinitely. We grow, we change, we learn new coping techniques. At the beginning of my journey, I went to a therapist who beratd me for being on meds as she said they "blunted my emotions"--well, I needed them blunted as at that point all I could do is cry & ruminate on past traumas without medication to help me clear my mind & thinking.