there are a lot of people on these boards that don't take meds.
but those same people work their butts off to stay stable.
there is a lot of things that have to be done to be stable and med free... or just stable period when one has this kind of MI.

so, no matter what you choose to do, med free or not, there is a lot of work to be done to get where you desire to be.
it is kind of like treatment... self treatment.... awareness, acceptance, coping skills, different frames of mind that conjure up different attitudes.... ugh... the list can go on and on.

even with meds, there is a large degree of work that one should really do to be truly stable, and without the meds, it's even harder in my opinion. there is no magic pill that will make us stable. no, it is up to us to put in the work to get there, whether on meds or not.

sure, one can drift through life not putting any work into their well being at all...
but they are not going to be happy, and no one around them will be happy either. it sucks, it totally does... but I do firmly believe through my experiences that meds do help in this process of self discovery and healing.

not a neccessity though.

I guess, I just ask that you please don't discount all of the work one has to go through to be stable and happy. I know that one does not equal the other, but they do both go hand in hand.

I wish you the best of luck in your venture to find yourself. And keep updating us!