hi goingprosoon
Benzos really do not treat mania. A mood stabilizer is necessary for that. there are far more many choices than lithium. i take topamax and geodon. it was difficult finding the right meds for me as i am very sensitive and get all the contact your dr immediately side effects but with much persistence we finally found the right med combo. i do not get side effects from either of these. i am actually weaning off the geodon and just going to be on the topamax. but there are so many meds out there for bipolar stabilization. if i didnt like the side effects i immediately stopped the med and asked for another. my docs didnt like me for that but if i wasnt showing signs of improvement i wasnt going to waste my time staying on it or upping the dose. you really have to be a strong advocate for yourself. welcome to psych central. you will find we have several forums where you can post about your concerns and receive feedback from other members. you will get a lot of support here. again, welcome