I have often felt the need to give the advice that medication is okay. It is not a sign of weakness; it is not an admission of defeat.

I attend a support group for mood disorders (mostly bipolar attend). While I have seen some manage their lives med free, over and over again I see people who refuse their medication and are clearly in very rough shape. Some refuse because their family won't allow them, some are afraid of gaining weight (which is a real concern) but most think by taking medication they are somehow giving in.

On more than one ocassion I have encountered a newly diagnosed person attending with a family member in tow. When the topic comes around to medication the family member firmly rejects the notion of it. Some support network that is.

Frankly, I've been off and on medication and I don't know what I'd do without it. Sure I sleep all the time and have gained a lot of weight but the alternative is just not imaginable.