The answer is highly individual. On the one extreme there are people who get by without meds; on the other, there are people who can't get by without meds. What matters is where you fit.

I think a certain degree of struggle goes with the territory. Even those who find meds to be helpful don't necessarily enjoy taking them -- they may find the side effects to be difficult to cope with, they worry about long-term effects, and deep down inside may wonder if they're being weak. Those who don't take meds may wonder if they should; may worry about the long-term effects of not taking them, and may have to discover through trial and error alternate coping strategies.

This final aspect is a very important one. I think that sometimes the impression is given that some people simply don't need medication -- they don't have the same degree of symptoms or experience effects to the same degree of others. I'm not so sure that this is true. As but one example, people in other cultures often don't have access to medication -- it's simply too expensive. In spite of that, many of them recover or go on to fashion functional lives for themselves. We can learn a lot from them.

You start from where you are. What's going on in your life? What kind of symptoms and experiences are you having? Where are you finding it difficult to cope? Where can you recognize that you need some help and support? Your answers are going to vary from my answers because we're two different people in different places in our lives.

In your case, you're dealing with a substantial loss -- you lost your husband. That's a big loss and it hurts. I've experienced loss too and I know it hurts for a long time. In losing your husband you also lost a vitally important source of support so even if you felt you were coping well with things before, it wouldn't be unexpected if you feel you're lost and floundering now. Neither would it be unusual that you have a more difficult time coping with the usual assortment of difficulties that life can throw your way. You say you're schizophrenic so maybe that means some old symptoms are being stirred up. Should you seek medication or the support of a caregiver at this time? You are the only one who could possibly make that decision.

Bear in mind, a treatment program for who you are now won't necessarily duplicate a treatment program of the past. For example, in your case it might include joining a grief support program. It might mean eating well and taking up a walking program. It might mean getting a pet or digging your hands into the earth. It might mean journalling, painting, or dancing as a means of expressing your grief and loss. It might mean entering a therapeutic relationship. It might mean taking up a spiritual path. It might mean accepting that sorrow is a teacher who is going to walk on this path with you for the next little while. All of these are tools. Medication is also a tool. Whether or not it belongs in your toolbox is for you to determine. What works best for you is simply, what works best for you.

My condolences on the loss of your husband, friend and companion. For what it's worth, here's one of the tools I found helpful for coping with pain: Tonglen