This is certainly an interesting, and I think valid in some ways, proposition. However, as a person with bipolar 1 (full-blown mania), I would definitely not enjoy living off of my lithium pills. When I was manic, I was delusional. I believed all kinds of things which I now know were not really, truly happening. I fell in love with a much-older friend of mine, more so than I've ever been with anyone (with humiliating consequences). I posted super-creative stuff on Facebook constantly and wrote a lot of poetry. I bought too much music on iTunes. Was all of this bad? No, but for the most part, it was not conducive to the life that I enjoy leading. A life full of poetry and music and romantic interests, but in some form of control. I believe God lets things happen for a reason, and while I often wish I had never gone through bipolar (especially the depression), I feel I have learned so many valuable lessons. Still, like I said, I personally could not function in a rational, stable way with the help my psychiatrist has given me through lithium. I'm still me, just happier.