Unmedicated success?

I was wondering if anyone has had any success living a some what normal life without medication and how you were able to achieve it. I have been unmedicated for about 8 years and I stopped taking meds really young. I was under the impression my parents wanted to scuplt me into a model child.

But my sense of logic then was hey if I was ment to be wild then I will be wild and if something was wrong I was strong enough to control it. Boy did I learn I was wrong I've been umedicated for so long the mood swings, irritiablity, and everything else that accompanys it has become who I think I am on the normal which I don't even know what is anymore. Its become extremely harmful to my family, friends, and yea social life.

Is there anything you do to restore normalitly to life and before you say take meds or see a therapist I don't have the insurance nor time to do any of it.

It is a matter of choice. Truth is, there could be times one gets out of line with standards and reality- when your judgement is not right. This stray can lead to embarrasing behaviour. I lived in denial about my mental health and very often, in the past, stayed without meds. It made me do some things i am not proud of or blush when someone recount things i did. Play safe. Take meds and go for therapy.

There's various people on the boards who are med-free, or who has been mostly med-free.

I'm currently on lamictal, but I've been med and diagnose free for over a decade since I noticed things were off? I just went on the meds to help with a currently stressful situation that will take a long time to resolve.

I found what helped the most in regulating myself (and keep in mind, my depressions can be severe but my hypomanias are always pretty tame) was keeping a good sleep routine and maintaining habits and routines in my life in regards to chores. And the healthier I eat the better things go.

I'm med free and I live a pretty calm good life. For me the biggest thing was perspective. Working on DBT and CBT type therapy. I didn't do most of that work in therapy but books and internet. Using mindfulness, meditation and yoga. Getting skills to to deal with depression, which can curb it quickly. Learning how to manage my life in way that brings me a sense of contentment.

Other things that have helped me are having a healthy diet, I am also gluyen free due to celiac but that had a big impact in my mood. Activity, finding sports I enjoy and can do regulary. Generally tryig to achieve a healthy balance all around.

It was a long process for me.I was medicated for many years. The meds seemed to make things worse for me so I looked for other ways to bring stability into my life before I got off them. I had a pretty ttaumatic upbringing so I did need to do a lot of work on my issues. I had what looked like a pretty bleak case of bipolar and other mental health problems.

I think that a happy peaceful life can be found with meds and without. But it is not easy either way, it takes effort but I think that it's worth it.

Sometimes meds are not a bad option either until you get to a place where you are stable and have figired out what you need to bring that balance, so you feel comfortable and confidant that you can work without them. And the knowledge to know when to ask for help if it is not working out.

Medications are no gaurentee of "normal" or content peaceful life, so I think these things are important for people on meds too, and important for people of all walks of life, metally ill or not. Creating the life we want is important.

I have been going on just 600 mgs of lithium for a few months now. I have a little bit more symptoms from when i was on 900 but not much. I hate the naesea feeling it gives me, so im trying to find a new Pdoc who is willing to give me more options

I feel the same way, but also I feel conflicted. In my early 20s I was on and off meds and decided that being off meds was better for me in the long term. How I am is just how I am. I am what I am and that's it. As time went on, my symptoms became harder and harder to coupe with. My career, my family, my relationship all began to suffer. Then in a manic state I tried to exit a hotel by climbing out a third floor window so I finally sought out medical help.

This time around my results have been alot better. Before, I was too young and impatient. I hadn't really suffered any major consequence so I didn't see the danger in my behavior. My pdoc told me choosing to take meds to be successful shows my level of control. Maybe you need to reach that conclusion for yourself. And maybe it sounds cliche to say, but perhaps you haven't found the right meds yet.

I say take drugs and go to therapy. *shrug* I can't go off my meds or bad things happen.

It can be def done.

I personally chose to use herbals and bach essences to help out the with mood cycles.

But mostly it's about "attitude" (I am NOT talking "happy thoughts". Rather somewhat buddhist approach). And coping. I use visualization meditation to combat the dark and twisted thoughts. And finding what works for you. Find your outlet. Look for good omens. They are there. Focus on your most troublesome behaviours and set some roadblocks. Fantasize the "wrong" but don't do it if it helps.

It's easy to say "take your meds". 12 letter advice. But even if you take them... meds are only portion of the deal. Many here follow the 12 letter advice and still struggle. It's really not as easy as that.

I've had un-medicated success...
My dx only came officially early 30's so I had plenty of years dealing. Pot helped me through the teen years, or so I thought.
But bp being eposidic makes me feel like, hey just give me some relief for when i'm in the thick of it. This is not high blood pressure that requires constant toxic med in my system.
I just need something now, help me get out of my bed, help me sleep, help me keep my job during.
It's an episode and will pass - and allow me to not take the meds in between. My pdoc and many others I'm sure disagree, my body, let me do it my way.

I took no medications in my thirties but had one manic episode with psychotic features when I was 40 stopped medication stopped meds after 2 -3 years but had another hypo manic episode at 44 requiring hospitalisation so now at 46 I imagine I will continue taking meds until I'm 50 and evaluate then. As a parent being unwell is too disruptive to my family so I not prepared to take the risk and rarely miss taking meds twice daily... But I am sure there are many who manage their illness in a variety of ways...without meds.( I also took Meds in my twenties)

Depends what you define as success. I quit my meds 2 yrs ago and have managed to work and be a single mother. There are a few members going without meds, we each just sought out what worked for us and stuck to it. Just like meds, its an individual path, filled with trial and error, what works for me may not work for Adam. A large dose of acceptance, a healthy portion of lifestyle tweaking and a support system is neccessary with or without meds, but can save your life while without.

Please can anyone tell me what "12 letter advice" is?

I think it's going to depend entirely on the severity you have. That' why some can and most can't. I have gone 7 years with out meds! Average is 2 years. It's been like this for me for the past 35 years. Some people can never ever go without meds or should not. Everyone is different. There is no one answer here.

Thank you for sharing your success without meds. It is so important that others suffering and not finding success with meds realize that there is a way to live comfortably without meds. Change your thoughts, change your life.

I have had symptoms of bipolar 2 ever since I was a young child and went un-medicated until this year. I took on too many units and jobs which caused me to experience my first manic episodes. This had a snowballing effect on my mania and was only able to get it under control when meds kicked in.

I honestly doubt that many people with bipolar 1 can function well completely un medicated since mania causes us to do many stupid societally un-acceptable things. If there is a bipolar 1 success story I would certainly love to hear it.

Read Anika.'s (witha dot) posts

Take your meds. Twelve letters.

I think everyone of us is different. For some this works very well. For others, not so much. In my personal experience, my BP has been VERY self-destructive. I do not want to experience that depth of depression, or the living hell my dysphoric hypomania can be. Not to mention that my garden variety hypomania has led me on flights of fancy that had horrible consequences, (even though before the consequences, I was having a good time).

I have done lots of therapy throughout my life, but for me, the meds are the only thing that have given me some degree of mood stability (some degree, not perfect).

Doesn't this depend on the severity of the condition? I tried anti depressants for years which had no effects and my condition has a lot of fatigue and my experiment with Seroquel just made me more and more drowsy that I simply wouldn't be able to get into work.

I have also linked a lot of my experience to repressed early experiences and have tried numerous alternative therapies. This is OK but if it links in with genetic issues there is still a problem. I have not really done the meds thing despite having a BP and BPD diagnosis. Not sure it is the right thing because I cannot form lasting relationships, have issues with timekeeping at work and binge drink and eat a lot.

What I have not done is learn to pace myself on my terms with me neglecting my needs and trying to suit everyone else's. I am going to genuinely try and do that at my own pace and see what happens. My psych says I need to look to just experience these strong emotions I have. That seems well and good but I am not sure that he knows how severe they can be.

There was a time when I was on no meds. How I managed the BP was I exercised basically all day, like you would go to work- I went to exercise : 5 days a week, and maybe the weekends too.
After awhile my body couldn't take it anymore. All I could do was swim laps, which was better than nothing, but not enough. Sleepless. Never hungry. Depressed or Manic. Depressed and Manic. Agitated.
I had to take meds or my life would have been in rack and ruins.

I have never been on meds though I consistently debate about going on them. My bp presented during college and has not gotten me into too much trouble. I have learned some coping skills though many times I rudely leave conversations that annoy me so I won't blow out about nothing and sometimes I hide in my room, only leaving for work and food. I read a lot and spend far too much time on netflix because they are excellent and healthy escapes from life. Recently I changed jobs which, while it did add stress, made going to work so much better. I actually enjoy my job so I'm not dragging myself to it every day.
If your dr ever suggests 5-htp, I would be cautious. After speaking to my dr about mood swings and sleep issues, she suggested this supplement. I only took it for a week because it caused awful insomnia. In 3 days I slept 4 hours total and my mood went up and up.

I am finding this all a little strange. My dx where BP and BPD. I have tried meds without much effect but if I am honest I have avoided them for a paranoia they would do me harm.

From reading all the stuff on BP it states that medication is the main part of treatment. However, if you look at cyclothymia for example there appears to be a debate about whether or not that needs medication.

I am in the BP2/Cyclothymia/Borderline area and feel I maybe should have taken them. I only haven't through quite an insightful understanding of the early traumas which have caused my illness. You have to remember that your brain also forms based on those early experiences. I still haven't been able to function as I would like especially in relationships but my condition has led to me being very highly functioning and gaining national recognition in my field of work.

Is the general advice that medication should be the mainstay of treatment correct? Maybe we are fed a westernised view of how to treat illness ie pop a pill rather than looking at the whole picture? I don't know. I just know that maybe I should have explored meds more especially a decade or so ago when things were really unbearable.

I have gone off my meds after five years of taking them when I was diagnosed. Meds made me worse. I had paradoxical reactions to most meds so the ones that were supposed to help with anxiety made me anxious. The ones that were supposed to help with depression made me suicidal...etc. I was allergic to Lamictal and Lithium blew out my thyroid.

I have done a lot of work and research in this area and used ECT for a year to get stable. I attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and have become a health coach focusing on people with mood disorders. I have learned that gut health has a lot to do with mental health. Google the GAPS diet.

I now watch what I eat, exercise ( when I can as I have a back injury) and take supplements like fish oil, vitamins and probiotics. I go to therapy once a week.

I still have ups and downs but they are manageable now and I no longer suffer from paranoia and other psychosis. I feel my emotions more acutely, but I am better able to sort them out.

I am hoping someday to open a health center that has not only a focus on physical health but also focuses on mental health through diet, lifestyle and mindfulness.

So I have been off my meds completely for about two months and so far so good.

Studies have shown that adapting mental health care to be sensitive to one's culture and having feasible REAL goals can alter an individuals prognosis for the better. Social work is evolving to maintain these facets in the regular care of individuals. It's really interesting and one of the reasons I'm looking forward to working in social work. (Hopefully administrative position)

For example, a feasible goal should never be, "To stay on medications and be stable." Stability is not measurable so the goal should be more specific to the individual and their ability to function. Staying on medication is a means to an end but doesn't really have meaning besides that. A goal like, "I would like to have [partial?] custody of my children and in order to do this I need to stay active in my treatment plan by finding a therapist who respects my cultural needs/find sobriety/join groups to meet others and find support...blahblah"

Where I work service plans are detailed and individualized to each girl in my house. They aren't all on medications, but encouraged to do various things to help them reach their service goal. (This includes therapy, groups, tutoring, school activities etc) We also try to model behaviors that we'd like to see in the girls.

Trauma informed care is also becoming huge. (At least in my state) Numerous studies have shown the importance of being sensitive to the trauma an individual may have experienced early-on in their lives.

Unfortunately these are things that are still being worked on and not implemented everywhere.

I am hopeful that there will continue to be a change in the field, but I know that it will be hard to change peoples beliefs. Still, it's important and hopeful that these changes will indicate less use of medication as we look at the whole individual.

I also don't really think my medications do much for me except let me sleep. ;P Also dulls my emotions a little. I would say my attitude and unwillingness to give up has been the major factor in any success that I have had. A bunch of ladies on here have taught me that giving up isn't worth it.

I also take the Omega 3 and plenty of vitamins. I am not sure if it is helping but it isn't doing me any harm put it that way. It also helps that I am having weekly psychotherapy and have been doing for 3 and a half years.

I have also tried alternative therapies. I maintain that a lot is linked to lack of consistent nurturing in early childhood when our brains are forming but now much is genetic and environmental I am still unsure.

Before I was diagnosed I was on antidepressants for 3 to 4 years. I was so confused how they actually did nothing for me. If anything they made me more edgy and want to drink a lot more. Not sure whether this was hypomania or the stressful time I was having back then.

I tried Seroquel and that just made me more fatigued than I was anyway with my sleep pattern all over the place. I am still a little confused that all the health sites say meds are the main part of the treatment but so many people on here say otherwise.