I'm of hippy background too it is true lithium naturally occurs in water more places than others, studies showed people were feeling pretty good lol. I took it for awhile. Love my hypos/manias but if I crash into depression I have such a hard time climbing back up that muddy slope. So I was early to mid 30's when I first tried meds. I was scared & against it at first, still go back & forth.
Anyway I've had same bf for 8 yrs on & off. He'd say how my meds were an embarrassment and to do like our other people on the mountain and just drink some beers & smoke some pot. But I don't smoke pot any more - my kids started stealing it from me so that was time to quit. The bf then even started commenting on my weight gain & mean jokes like eat less McDonalds, I don't even really eat that. So I quit the meds for a year. Got my figure back & dumped him on a great hypo summer. But then the crash & reality. I got back with him, gave him a list of changes I wanted in the relationship he said of course. Then he watched me fall in the depression and I confided in him that it's bad I'm not even able to work. He ended up pushing me to go to pdoc, paying for my pdoc visits, his words he wanted me to feel better and less crabby.
So... They can come to change their mind on it. My best friend is an old hippy naturopathic doctor & he got extra licensing to write for meds. He says he feels they are just necessary sometimes. He takes some himself.
I do hate big pharma and big corp America. I hate powders & pills & wondering how'd they come up with that compound. The mass production, the insurance companies, the corruption... But it's just what I need to do for me right now. I suggest stick to your guns, avoid the debates. Let them know you've made this decision and really want to give it a try, you aren't trying to change their mind about the ethics of big pharma but would love to know they've got your back & will support what you feel is right to do for you right now.
My 2 cents...