I went unmedicated for about 12 years. During that time I was always as you said "high functioning" in society, hell everyone I dealt with thought I was a perfectly normal level headed guy. Unfortunately, my family and very close friends knew the real me, the fly into a rage then fall into a deep depression me. Once I got medicated, my rage and depression cycles leveled and my family could breath without me going seven levels of psycho. I totally understand your unmedicated feelings. I lost my job a few months back and there is absolutely no way to pay for my meds without good insurance so I have been off of them for quite awhile now and can say without a doubt that they are a necessity.