It is important to have some coping skills and strategies. All that Christina mentioned. But, unlike others I think being off meds is doable.

Most people are on meds because they were prescribed meds. That is the "reason". Other reasons are too varied to say that if you ever go on meds, there is no going back. Some people develop coping skills and sort their lives enough to be able reduce or come off their meds. Sometimes BP might lessen as we get older.

From these posts I feel that doctors exaggerate the benefits and lessen the risk when talking about meds. Well, there has been ever article here on PC about this happening. Pdocs don't know much about med-free bipolar, because they operate in the mode of meds. And if they threaten to drop anybody who drops their meds... they never see a success story, because that person never goes back to them. They don't have the insight of gods, they really don't,

So it is up to you. Just be careful about your decisions.