I am afraid that statistics, even listed on Psychcentral, that they is a 15% chance those diagnosed with bipolar, will suceed at commiting suicide. Hmmm.. aren't those odds simiar with a game of russian roulette?
I went through years without meds and it was truly a roller coaster the whole way, one that I regret and as a result, some important doors closed for me until my death. It is necessary that we have mood stabilization, an effect support system, in additional to extensive therapy, if we are to capable of living in a normalized manner. That includes not self-medication even with our medications if we do not take them as prescribed. It is a daily decision to live in the solution regardless of what it entails so that I can have my disease at bay if I am to achieve seccess in any area.
Or, I can crawl under my covers and pretend that it was only a bad nightmare. Even with medicaion, I am still not above having a mood range, just like anyone else except that my mood ranges are so much more intense that my "normal"" counterparts.
No, medications are not required in order to recover, however, with so much to lose, why shouldn't I take every resource available?
ptk