PC gave me life and became the real turning point in my recovery. I wasn't aggressive about my mental well being until I found this website.

If you cold turkey medication, you will get a withdrawal. I used to do this every few months and would always become semi-delusional and also experienced drug psychosis from it. I experienced full-fledged delusions (believing I was pregnant), believing I was in the presence of God and would experience negative thoughts/violent hallucinations. All of these have gone away since I've become adherent to my medication plan. I haven't missed a dose in 6-8 months and haven't experienced any of the above symptoms since.

I take medication because I have emotional-regulation issues. I need something to damper my emotions so that I can function. I don't experience hereditary depression or much of hypomania. Mine is more of an everyday-regulation. I get overstimulated so the lithium dampers it. I also have some behavioral problems.

When I was diagnosed, I believe I was mismanaged. I took depakote for a year and experienced brain-fog. My doctor didn't know anything about bipolar disorder and it wasn't until my next doctor that I was taken off.

I am happy now. I know that psychiatry had its place in my recovery. I had an amazing therapist for 6ish months and a super supportive boyfriend/parents. I think their love and belief for me helped me more than psychiatry. I think that psychiatry gave me the ability to use the tools they were giving me.