[tsukiko]

Originally Posted by Done_With_It

Some people see these "Drugs" as medication. Just like people take medication for cancer, diabetes, or whatever else,

I've hit this topic before, but taking antipsychotics and mood stabalisers ain't like being diabetic. Diabetes is not in your head....your mind, your brain, the part of you that makes you who you are. Taking insulin does not change your personality or govern your behaviour, alter your thinking patterns or potentialy mess with your very core...

I mean, I've heard a lot of people say 'bipolar is like diabetes', but funny enough I've never heard a manic depressive say that...you don't hear someone who's lived with bp likening their situation to being diabetic too often.

And I've never heard anyone or a doctor say 'being diabetic is like being bipolar'...because it doesn't work the other way round...because essentially the two illnesses are not alike....one afects the body in a very physical way and one and the other is more like having an inoperable tumour attached to your identity.

Originally Posted by Done_With_it

If you chose to try something today and see if it helps you that does Not mean it is for the rest of your life. One day at a time.

You can’t just try mood stabalisers. Doctors will honestly make this clear; things like lithium are long term treatments. If you begin taking lithium or sodium valporate etc and then you stop taking it it usually worsens the condition and few people will return to the equilibrium they knew before trying the meds. So, they ain’t medications you can just test out.

As well, unlike insulin, people who take lithium etc usually end up on a cocktail of drugs to balance each drug out. The mood stabilisers often only part iliminate the mania and ‘positive’ symptoms of bipolar leaving a sufferer with crippling depression which needs to be counted with antidepressants and is never fully alleviated.

Then there is the fact that you need regular blood tests to ensure the mood stabilisers ain’t destroying your liver and kidneys. I stopped sticking needles in my arms and I ain’t about to restart that. Having blood taken is a constant reminder of my using and triggers cravings for me.

And that still ain’t all the issues....the meds themselves usually cause serious weight gain, sometimes hair loss and birth defects etc. They are serious drugs and a decision to use them is not to be taken lightly.

Bipolar, unlike diabetes, is not so much an exact science...how can it be when you are talking a chronic brain disorder which on a daily basis affects and to some extent governs who you are.

It is a big decision and right now I choose to try and combat my episodes without needles, drugs and jeopardising my physical long term health because I am coping. I'm not jepodising my own health right now because I ain't medicated, so ama' carry on.

I just wish there was the option of cbt or some talking therapy etc to help me to manage the bp the way I am choosing to cope with it. I'm finding it hard to do this alone and the doc' says meds are my only option.


I know my recovery is in my hands, that is why I'm here asking for your thoughts, guys. I know my eventual actions etc are in my hands, that's all the more reason why I wanna' talk through those options first and hear other peeps thoughts / insights etc.

Thanks fella', for the reply...and best to ya'.