[Upsidedownandinside]

I'm tired of these flipping meds, they've turned me into a shaking mess.
I've decided to stop taking them.
I'm better off on nothing, they don't help anyway.
Is there something natural I can take?

[UpDownMiddleGround]

I decided to get myself off of my meds a week ago. I got nervous after making the initial decision. Then the headaches came. I ended up having to not quit "cold turkey" but I have reduced drastically. I feel good about myself and my decision. I'm sure that no one on my "team" would agree. If asked why, their answer would be because there was a reason I was prescribed the meds in the first place. For me, it's a matter of proving whether or not this BP thing is alive within me because I was under a lot of stress at the time of my diagnosis.

I say this, if you pray, pray about it. Talk to your people (pdoc and T) about your desire. They may have some solutions for you. Wait it out to see if you are going to change your mind in a few days about wanting to come off. "Stuffing the meds" is definitely not an option for everyone.

Natural solutions . . . In my limited research, I have not found anything that has been proven to work.

[Icare dixit]

Our meds haven't exactly been proven to work either. Not really. If you assume BP is not just a syndrome and has one aetiology, that is. Not more or less than supplements or other substances, necessarily. Both can treat symptoms. Our meds might be better at it though.

But for which meds do you want alternatives?

It's easier to use multiple supplements/substitutes. As BP may have different aetiologies, it's unlikely there is one thing that solves the root of the problem for all of us. But there are more links in the chain between root cause and symptoms, and I believe some converge for all of us. It might still be helpful to treat for both the actual root of the problem and treat the symptoms.

It might mean using a lot of supplements/substitutes.

[Icare dixit]

But I found the available meds treat symptoms too much exclusively, too much just waiting for your brain to heal itself, rewire. It will, but it really takes far too long.

I also found that treating my symptoms makes other problems worse, which makes functioning equally or (in the long term) more difficult. These other problems aren't just (all or fully) problems.

It's ridiculous how little progress is made finding better pharmacotreatment. It's all about symptoms: the research into genetics as well as into epigenetic, functional or dynamic biochemistry. That's simply because they don't know much about us beyond symptoms. The syndrome is blocking their view. If they knew how all symptoms relate, they wouldn't have to list them all or would do so more succinctly, reduced, or merely as examples.

That's why I would suggest you use generics if you do use meds.

It would also be helpful if we could join forces to find alternatives. To experiment and find those converging links in the chain as well as better treatment of symptoms and differences in response among us.

We could even experiment with different perceptions/conceptions of mania and depression.

Theories don't have to be true to be useful (arguably they are true then, but like how delusions can be truer than reality; arguably they are untrue by their very nature). Maybe to unravel the dynamics. Psychiatry doesn't do that: there are mainly dogmas at best, but mostly just one dogma which hasn't changed much ever.

It's still reminiscent of witch-hunts and crucifixion. We have the stigmata to proof it. They don't want us, don't understand us and fear us. They don't (even) tolerate us, wanting to change us.

That's not a healthy self-perspective/-concept.

[Upsidedownandinside]

You were right about the headaches