i'm a 69 yr. old female diagnosed nearly 40 yrs. ago as hypomanic with no depression. was on lithium, only 450mg. daily, for all that time. i think it worked yet it destroyed over time my thyroid, had parathyroids removed and about 2 yrs. ago kidney issues, all contributed to by lithium. i did my research for many yrs. but not enough to learn how it affected so many organs. i told psych nurse 2 yrs. ago i wanted off and have been on no mood stabilizer since that time. only take 1/2 25mg. seroquel for sleep nightly and 1/2 klonopin for anxiety. as soon as lithium was out of my system, i noticed that the rage and irritability that i would have, even before getting out of bed in the morning, were gone. do your homework on the drug.