I feel ya on the fear of medication, I've always been really resistant to meds. Especially because I get allllll the side effects imaginable- I burn after ten minutes in the sun, get terrible nausea, can't sleep well, etc. etc. However, I feel so much better and more stable now, that all that other stuff is worth it.
My reaction isn't typical, I have a very low tolerance for everything, but, even though I fear meds and won't take anything that could be habit forming, I highly recommend giving th a shot.
And a therapist is definitely a good place to start.
Take care!