In my personal experience, I can look back to my teens and see hypomanic behavior, a brief time. I got married and though I had very brief minor depressions, nothing that would catch anyone's attention, I was basically in a remission of sorts. So yes you can go long periods without medication especially if you have a mild form.
However, when my bipolar hit balls to the wall at age 42, not medicating it was not an option. I was not in this world and had to be brought back. So far with meds I have had only 2 episodes in 7 years and the first one I was skipping doses, the second one I pushed with diet pills.
When a person is seeing ghoulies in their head telling them to do things harmful, I'm sorry but essences and vitamins and herbs are not the answer. Its unfortunate, its awful, ai dont like taking a handful of pills twice a day either and one of them tastes like *** and one of them makes pepsi taste like ***. It sucks.
But I want to be old, I want to see my grandchildren get married, and if this is what I do then so be it.
So in defense of choocha, and the reading I have done and the life I have lived I agree with her.

I am so very glad you are able to manage yourselves med free, its wonderful and I'm pleased for you. But dont presume that everyone can be successful doing things the way you do.