Here are my experiences with meds and attempting to be med-free. Also my brother's experience with med free, and a woman at work who tried -- and succeeded for years and years -- till she was hospitalized!

I tried three times to be med free. The first time was before I ever had meds. My pdoc supported my desire to be med free, but the herb or whatever it was never got rid of the crippling depressions I had for most of the month. Many years later, I tried, with the supervision and support of another pdoc. I eased off more slowly, even, than she suggested. I felt great -- for a few weeks. Then crashed. The third time, I cut my pills into EIGHTHS. I cut back by 1/8 every 2-3 WEEKS. Again, the terrible depressions came back.

One benefit I really, really get from the meds is that I no longer have severe back pain. I had it since high school. It disappeared when I started meds almost 20 years ago. It never came back. But as an ultra-ultra rapid cycler, it's difficult -- impossible -- to find meds that work for long periods of time. They either quit helping, or else the side effects sneak up very slowly and then I figure out something is very wrong with that/these meds.

My brother has had clinical depression since he was at least 10, so he tells me. A couple of years ago, he gradually quit his antidepressant. He took L. triptophan instead. He told me he felt great. And he did -- for a while. Then, he got terribly, terribly depressed. He went back on the anti-depressant which had worked pretty well. Not only did it NO LONGER WORK, he can't find one that does. He's still very depressed.

The woman I mentioned in the first paragraph was a well-paid consumer executive in a mental health clinic, where I also worked. She was very proud and haughty about being med-free. She URGED other mental health consumers/patients to get off their meds. That was not part of her job, and she was not supposed to do that, but she did. She was fine for years! Then she got hospitalized. Talk about "eating crow." (That's an expression from the US American South -- means some combination of emotional pain, regret and shame.)

Another thing to remember is that with some types of depression and also with mania, the episode can last for weeks or months, then be gone for months or years. So people who boast of being med-free, like that woman did, may have that type of disorder! So, here they are, feeling good, normal feelings, then their depression or mania comes back full bore. No big surprise to anyone but themselves. That's why the doctors say to stay on the meds even if you feel okay.