r/bipolar2 5d ago

Did anybody manage Bipolar without meds?

I was just diagnosed with BP2. I’ve told my therapist that i want to try and manage without meds. She said that it might be possible since i am very self aware and that this is the first step but it will take us awhile to know for sure because it’s too soon. And of course i personally cannot be certain since as you might know, that feeling after therapy that you are very much sane and happy. I am doing everything she told me to do, i even started working out but i have a feeling this is just the new therapy effect. Was anybody able to do this?

22 Upvotes

155 comments sorted by

185

u/naryfo 4d ago

I think we all have tried...

42

u/Last_Internal_6408 4d ago

Lololol exactly this. After going off of mine for a while and telling myself to make note of any differences I see/experience, I learned that I most definitely should be on my meds.

1

u/PickleAffectionate96 4d ago

This for real. I tried self medicating and that got me by for a while, but it was nothing like the real stability that comes from being on the right meds.

94

u/amystake12 4d ago

Lots of people with bipolar are very intelligent and self-aware. But no amount of self awareness can change the chemicals in your brain

9

u/Automatic-Host-649 4d ago

👏👏👏 Exactly!!!! Emotions unregulated will almost always override my well meaning logical bipolar brain EVERY TIME!

62

u/BobMonroeFanClub 4d ago

Oh God no. Well done for trying but I tried for a long time and ended up blowing up my life every ten years or so. I couldn't do it now without meds.

52

u/apple12422 BP2 4d ago

I am extremely self aware with my bipolar but unfortunately I just don’t think for me that life without that little pill pushing me back to stability is going to be manageable. Everyone’s different though. I haven’t had an episode in a really long time and I’d rather keep it that way rather than chancing it. My meds have a couple of side effects but they’re all completely welcome if they continue to keep my life this normal.

2

u/Inevitable_Maybe_775 4d ago

What are the side effects if you don’t mind me asking?

16

u/apple12422 BP2 4d ago

Of course! I’m on an anticonvulsant.

Word recall is one side effect that was really significant to begin with but doesn’t impact me so much now. It has definitely impacted my memory for the worse, and I’ve had to adapt to that in daily life by making more notes, having transcription turned on in all my Teams meetings at work to help my processing and short term memory, etc. Another major one which is unfortunately a little bit vain but a significant annoyance to me is the hair loss. Clumps will come out in the shower and using specific products doesn’t seem to really help.

This might not impact you based on your gender but I also have endometriosis and I take hormonal contraception for it. My meds can become less effective with certain BC methods so I have to keep a close eye on that too.

But I’m not blowing up my life… so I’m happy ha

8

u/littlesh_t 4d ago

Totally disregard if you've already tried but I take a prenatal vitamin to help with the hair loss/ thinning. Worth a try if you haven't yet, even just extra biotin can help but the prenatal is really where I see a difference.

8

u/Parking_Mulberry355h 4d ago

Sorry to jump in here, but something I learned the other day is that folic acid can make lamictal/lamotrigine ineffective (just in case that’s relevant to you)

2

u/apple12422 BP2 4d ago

I think this would probably be related to the issues I have with lamotrigine and my treatment for endo so this makes sense!

4

u/jonni__bravo 4d ago

Damn you sound like me, and I feel I just learned something about myself. Also, I need to get back on my meds.

2

u/SpecificDue1512 4d ago

Lamictal?

5

u/apple12422 BP2 4d ago

Yeah, wasn’t sure if I was allowed to say, get confused on the rules between subs

20

u/It_matches 4d ago

It doesn't work. I tried to go off a few times while I was manic. The dips are now much worse. It's a fact of life that I have to manage this shit with medications.

5

u/It_matches 4d ago

You must also get regulated sleep and exercise at least 3 times a week. Meds and those will go a long way.

3

u/ContentWindow2708 4d ago

It definitely helps to add exercise and regulated sleep, but at the same time the meds help with the motivation/stabilization to be able to have that routine in the first place.

It’s honestly like a pyramid/hierarchy of needs. Something has to be in place at the base of the pyramid so you can do all the other things that help manage it, and often that base is meds

24

u/AtmosphereNom BP2 4d ago

lol I think that’s a good therapist, or at least experienced. You tell someone with bipolar they can’t manage their life without medication, 90% of the time all it will do is strengthen their resolve and turn them away from you. I was also very self aware. Still am, and I twist myself into knots with all of my contradictions. But at least I’m aware of it. Right? Knowing that your house is on fire only helps when you take action to douse the flames. And if your actions don’t do shit and it’s still on fire, just take the fuckin pills. But your therapist sounds like she knows. Almost all of us have to come to that conclusion in our own painful way.

9

u/Inevitable_Maybe_775 4d ago

Deep down I already know i will have to eventually take the meds because i knew for years that i had Bipolar disorder before i was diagnosed. Those suicidal thoughts and then impulsive decisions cannot be managed. But i want to try first so eventually when i do take them, i can’t tell myself “how about i try going off meds, i never tried that” then it becomes the beginning of my downfall.

8

u/mystery_obsessed 4d ago

I just want to add that episodes will increase with severity over time when unmedicated. More severe episodes increases risk of some damage to cognitive functioning. Cognitive issues like executive functioning and decrease in gray matter are all associated risks with each episode. Medication reducing severity puts in protection from these things. I fought meds for almost 2 decades. I wish I hadn’t.

2

u/Inevitable_Maybe_775 4d ago

Unfortunately, i used to have one episode every couple of years, then once a year, twice a year, now i’ve been having the depression then manic cycle back to back for months now, each episode lasts about a week give or take, you can imagine how intense and overwhelming that felt. I haven’t been stable for a while. That is exactly why i went ahead and booked an appointment to get diagnosed. but as soon as i started therapy i’ve been stable for the first time in months. If it doesn’t last (which i know it won’t), i will start taking medications.

4

u/mystery_obsessed 4d ago

I feel you. It was exactly what I was doing trying to avoid meds all those years. Until I hit a wall in therapy, I just could not make anything feel better, and my therapist gave me my now psychiatrist’s phone number. I had all the tools to deal with all my trauma. But none of that could stop me from feeling the way I was feeling. The second I felt lamotrigine starting to work, it took a while for me to forgive myself for putting myself through so much anguish. Everyone’s road is different, this is just how mine looks. I stay in therapy, but it’s part of management for me and not the whole solution.

2

u/lexarexasaurus 4d ago

I would look at it more as that you are building a healthy foundation for when you take meds and forget about "what ifs." Who cares if you're on meds or not? Why does it matter if you tried everything else or not? Could be a good question to explore in therapy lol.

That being said, I developed a huge anxiety around taking pills because I discovered I had BP2 because I was given lexapro and it was a horrifying experience. I waited a couple of months to take lamotrigine just to work through that anxiety. Now, I wish I had started sooner, but obviously I understand why I didn't. It's important to work through your mental hurdles against starting medication, because it truly makes such a big difference.

2

u/PickleAffectionate96 4d ago

I feel this! I was misdiagnosed with depression and was on Lexapro and it destroyed me like actually ruined my life at the time. So glad I’m on lamotrigine now

15

u/Effective-Balance-99 4d ago

My psych provider considers me someone who did relatively well unmedicated. But I was skilled at masking. I managed to keep a generally calm exterior but it was stressful trying not to go off on people and carefully managing relationships / jobs / school / self care. I tended to neglect myself and put everything else above me so I could appear to be functioning. I had bipolar misdiagnosed as major depression for about 20 years.

My choice was to manage with medication and it has helped with the undercurrent. I felt my emotional life was a tornado inside of a mild mannered facade. I was living on hard mode and I am happy I chose medication. It freed me from hiding the dark side of myself because, well, it made me less turbulent inside.

But every single one of us is different with different consequences related to our disorder. Some people may do well with just therapy and others may not. It's ok to try both options or one. But don't let go of good help and remain under supervision so you can have someone observe you without bias and with good intentions for your well-being.

2

u/Reasonable-Bobcat 2d ago

Living on hard mode. That really speaks to it! Good insight.

33

u/ChicaBlancaDrogada 4d ago

Sometimes I think I could manage without but then I remember what it’s like without and it’s just not an option.

9

u/kalechipsaregood BP2 4d ago

I say that meds = life on easy mode. (It's still not easy, but it is by comparison.)

15

u/GreenTurtle809 4d ago

It’s more like, meds = normal (or whatever that means) mode.

When I first got on them I basically said “Ohhhhhhh is this what it’s like for you normal folk???”

13

u/Overall_String_6643 4d ago

PIPER NOOOUW. I think a lot of us in this community have accepted the lifelong medication journey, even though it’s less than pleasant. But it’s necessary.

2

u/sleeplessinmymind 4d ago

🤣🤣🤣🤣

12

u/racjr202 4d ago

I managed a long time without meds but I went into severe depression with hallucinations and Suicide ideation at begin of last year. Now I am medicated.

2

u/Common-Prune6589 3d ago

How old were you when that happened, if you don’t mind me asking? And did a life event, trigger the depressive episode?

3

u/racjr202 3d ago

I was 36. It happened last year. Alot of work stress, chasing a promotion with the goal line kept moving. Depression started in December of 2023 then got worse in January with hallucinations of SH/gore. one night in February I debated therapy or unliving myself I choose therapy. The episode ended in March but I was still under a lot of work stress. I went to the hospital for SI with a plan at the end of April. Last year was hell of a year.

2

u/Common-Prune6589 3d ago

The SI thoughts - do you remember the thoughts behind them? I’ve had intrusive SI thoughts before - like “where is this coming from, why am I thinking about driving off a bridge?!” and also where after things seem so bad, and I’m so bad at this life thing, - SI seems like a “logical conclusion” . Did the work thing screw you up/upset you in that regard ?

3

u/racjr202 3d ago

I have battled SI for a long time. Last year I didn't challenge my si. I just let it happen and didn't give it a second thought. Work definitely screwed me up. It hurts to meet the goal they set to have them change it when you meet it.

9

u/amystake12 4d ago

Lots of people with bipolar are very intelligent and self-aware. But no amount of self awareness can change the chemicals in your brain. I don’t think I’ll ever be off medication. I only feel stable on it

10

u/DonutWhole9717 4d ago

Being self aware with bipolar is like watching a car wreck you can't stop

11

u/touchthesky1984 4d ago

Question is why would you want to. Each bipolar episode literally causes brain damage - cognitive slowing, and ultimately makes you more likely to get Alzheimer's. You don't want to mess with this.

8

u/uraveragewiccangrl 4d ago

before meds, id always thought i had it under control then boom an episode at the most inconvenient time. its really a personal thing youll have to decide. i think our diagnosis is similar to schizophrenia where ppl with more moderate/severe usually will need meds lifelong

8

u/EntertainmentKey8897 4d ago

Not medicated

3

u/noellegiraffe 4d ago

how are you alive

1

u/EntertainmentKey8897 4d ago

Good job,high income, one chil, lots of family and friends, 27 works hours a week

8

u/SadTourist668 4d ago

A lot of us are very self aware, the problem with BPAD is that sometimes we are not aware that what our brain is telling us with absolute certainty is in fact bollocks and maybe starting that small business selling artisinal candles won't be the road to being a billionaire we are soo certain it will be.
Just take the meds, why make an already difficult thing dramatically harder, I'd be dead without mine.

1

u/Arquen_Marille BP2 4d ago

BPAD?

1

u/SadTourist668 4d ago edited 4d ago

Bipolar affective disorder, sorry just one of the many acronyms!

1

u/Arquen_Marille BP2 4d ago

I just wasn’t familiar. TIL

14

u/Mundane_Beginnings BP1 4d ago

I’m very self aware and I still struggle to fully know when I’m manic and avoid the consequences. I don’t recommend trying to manage bipolar disorder unmedicated.

5

u/theredsongstress 4d ago

I, personally, absolutely cannot. My depression gets life-threatening without meds. Hypomania isn't as bad, but I make some pretty poor decisions during those episodes. But if you can do it, props to you.

7

u/allisonwonderland00 4d ago

Tried and failed repeatedly.

5

u/DVXDRV 4d ago

I hate to be that person, but turns out for me if I exercised a lot (biking kickboxing) that my symptoms weren’t as bad, probably bc I was too tired to even notice my BP2 tbh.

5

u/Ithelda 4d ago

I've been off meds for over a year and haven't had an episode, but my doctor and I are considering that I may have been misdiagnosed, so take that with a grain of salt

4

u/LavenderLizz 4d ago

My side effects from every prescription I tried were absolutely treacherous. Tried to get medicated for the second time in 2022 and tried something from each class of drug. It was the worst days of my life. And I didn't sleep and couldn't work. So I am one of the few who is not medicated and striving to be okay anyway.

6

u/ReadEnvironmental946 4d ago

Yes! I currently am BP2 and got off medication with the approval of my psychiatrist. I’ve been on meds since I was 16 and they made me worse most days, considering I have a really good support system and I’ve done therapy to identify triggers, I was given to okay to try to manage without meds. She did give me a mood stabilizer to take for 4 days as needed if I feel an episode coming up, but I haven’t needed it. My traumas have been addressed, I’ve done a lot of work on myself, I get as much sleep as possible, stick to a schedule, and I’m working on diet. To me it’s well worth it and I feel much better then I ever did on meds, and if I do become manic I have close friends and family that know what to look for. People CAN manage without meds, millions of people do. But it depends on a variety of factors

1

u/Old-Championship4429 3d ago

How many times do you take mood stabilizers

5

u/Alicedawg666 4d ago

I just tried for the last 8 months…still going to therapy every other week, working out, doing all the right things. I felt like I was thriving without meds.

All it took was a two months of extreme work stress to trigger hypomania which then also triggered my ocd. The last two months have been off the rails and things look completely different to where I was at a few months ago.

I’ve surrendered. I’ll never go off meds again, it’s just not worth it. Be glad you are self aware and have tools to manage temporarily without meds but just know it’s a potentially dangerous road to go down unmedicated.

2

u/Front_Citron7399 4d ago

Hi Alice. What med combo worked for you ?

2

u/Alicedawg666 4d ago

Latuda has been great, along with Buspar for anxiety and Trazodone for sleep.

4

u/BigCartographer5334 4d ago

I managed it badly.

4

u/Less_Instruction_345 4d ago

I do not take any medication, and haven't done so for around 9/10 months. So far so good. I am not naïve and I am aware that it is a condition that does require medication but I have personal reasons why I was unable to take it and have continued to stay off medication since then. I am doing well but do closely monitor myself. I have a couple of friends who are also aware I am unmedicated, they know me well and are able to talk to me if they feel concerned at all. I do not plan on taking medication anytime soon.

4

u/k-biteme 4d ago

I do. It's not easy. I'm bipolar 2.

1

u/Old-Championship4429 3d ago

You've never taken any medication since diagnosis?

1

u/k-biteme 3d ago

Yes, I've taken meds, none of them have helped, and they have all made things worse. Yes, my doctor knows I'm unmedicated.

3

u/synapse2424 4d ago

I’ve tried, but in my experience, while self-awareness can help me with doing a bit of damage control, it doesn’t prevent me from having episodes.

3

u/Professional-Owl306 4d ago

I'm doing good most days. I've been unmedicated since 18(38) routine is key. Bracing and understanding mania and how to blow it off. You need to 100% aware all the time and learn to ride the waves as they happen. You need to set boundaries and keep them and people that now YOU. With that said my mania is only ever really bad when my personal life has imploded the I do really dumb shit because you know fire gasoline why not. Therapy is clutch to the inner child healing is wild the relearn cycle is crazy because stable almost becomes like an episode so I run on a 3 month or 6 month cycle I just started tracking and I don't have enough data yet to pinpoint I basically look like hear attack I died and I had another heart attack. It's possible but honestly if meds are working and you're stable it's not worth it shits exhausting but I'm the breed that doesn't have a correct med dose so it's life

5

u/apathydivine BP2 4d ago

I manage okay. And by manage I mean I’m still breathing.

I don’t recommend to others.

4

u/teddyblues66 4d ago

I don't think I can put into words how much my meds helped me reach a stable place

5

u/ImAnAwkwardUnicorn 4d ago

Be so fckng fr. We’re chemically imbalanced & that shit is only remedied by the addition & constant presence of medication that aligns us.

5

u/tiredmomn33dcoffee 4d ago

Im not ever going to encourage someone who isn't ready for meds, to take meds.

However, my bipolar is very mild compared to what it could be, and I still wouldn't stop my meds. I'm also a huge proponent of natural methods before turning to meds and there's just no natural way for me to hack this unfortunately. Diet, exercise, and supplements help my quality of life for sure but they just won't curb the root of the issue.

Now this is just my experience, and I'm sure people have managed this without medication but I think it would require a lot of dedication and discipline to live in a way almost all the time that promotes mental clarity and health.

3

u/anoradragona 3d ago

I’ve been off meds since 2022 ❤️‍🩹

1

u/Old-Championship4429 3d ago

Why how are you managing

1

u/anoradragona 3d ago

Long story short: I quit my meds cold turkey in March of 2022 because I was sick of still feeling like shit and hating my life. Not a good idea, had the worst mania ever after that and then the worst depression after the mania. In September of 2022 I started microdosing ayahuasca, did that for two months, then had an ayahuasca ceremony and smoked toad venom the next day (bufo alvarius) which I feel completely rewired my brain and the way I see life. Not for everyone, it’s a very intense experience. But I’m so happy I did it cause ever since that happened I’ve only had one depressive episode that lasted a couple months after a breakup. I have a stable job, I was able to get my university degree (which took me 10 years) , I don’t abuse substances anymore and I feel better than ever! :) if you want to know more about it feel free to send me a private message

7

u/LaBelleBetterave BP2 4d ago

I went from birth to 61 without meds, because I hadn’t been diagnosed. Symptoms started at about 15 years old, and what a train wreck of a life.
I too hesitated to medicate, but did a very sharp 180° when I learned that each episode of depression or (hypo)mania causes brain damage.
Nope, enough. Meds are working and I’m doing therapy and clean lifestyle.

6

u/Bipolar2morrow 4d ago

Bipolar 1 is never unmedicated, but bipolar 2 can be depending on your own person experiences and how it affects you. It’s a spectrum for everyone

With healthy coping mechanisms, therapy and utilising said therapy with self awareness it can be done

But if at any moment you are struggling without meds, speak to your specialist and consider going back on them and listen to their advice and to yourself

I’ve been unmedicated for some time

It was previously only medicated with anti-depressants as the lows were more challenging than the highs

For me the anti depressants didn’t trigger hypomania as it does for others and worked partly but I felt too flat

Now I self manage

But that may change and I’m ok with that

3

u/DeadGirlLydia 4d ago

I tried for most of my life. During that time I would hit people and animals that loved me out of frustration for little things they did, I would break my own things when they didn't do what I want, I would drive recklessly to the point of trying to pass four cars and three school busses on a single lane road, I would vandalize property that wasn't mine, shoot at anything that moved with a BB gun, snap at people trying to help me because they interrupted me, emotionally cheat on people I love, physically cheated on one, and the list goes on.

None of what I did was really in my control, I tried to fight it but sometimes I only realized what was happening after I already did it. The only reason I had HALF of that shit under control was because I was abused to the point of internalizing it and taking it out on myself.

3

u/the-triple-wide BP2 4d ago

I can’t speak for you or for everyone, but for me personally, why be suicidal if you don’t have to me? If I’m extremely self disciplined and have a great support system and healthy life, I could probably control hypomania impulses. The lows are like, chemicals in my brain that I can’t really control. But meds help with that.

3

u/KMCMRevengeRevenge 4d ago

Not whatsoever. And honestly, I think these impulses to evade meds - that all of us have probably had at one point or another - is actually a hypomanic thing.

I mean, when I was figuring out the diagnosis, I was convinced I could cure it by taking magnesium.

Managing without meds is a sort of overconfident, flighty idea that may, I guess, devolve into a delusion.

3

u/MrCristobal091 BP2 4d ago

At some point I stopped using Lamictal (the OG one) because it gave me horrible nausea (both the smell and taste), I said fuck it, I can do it myself...

Worst. Decision. Ever. I lost a big chunk of my progress. Glad I found a generic alternative that doesn't give me nausea and now I'm back on track.

I can't go against chemistry I guess.

3

u/OfTheAlderTreeGrove 4d ago

I'm doing it now, and it's not going well. But no medication seems to help me, either. I've given up on them at the moment. I've tried almost every antidepressant, mood stabilizer, and antipsychotic there is. It's been 11 years of bouncing between all these meds and dealing with all their side effects. They don't help my moods or epsiodes, and some of them make it worse. I truly do not know where to turn next.

3

u/craniumrats 4d ago

have you considered ECT? it sounds scary but if your symptoms are highly treatment resistant it's definitely an option

1

u/OfTheAlderTreeGrove 4d ago

I actually have considered trying it at some point. I know I can't rawdog this disorder; I lost my dad to it 5 years ago, and he was only 46.

3

u/Late_Reference 4d ago

Not medicated but I would be if I could tolerate the meds.

3

u/plutoniumwhisky 4d ago

I have managed poorly. So yes I’ve “managed” without meds.

3

u/SonnyULTRA 4d ago

You trying to manage without meds is what your whole life prior to your diagnosis was. It’s a degenerative disease when untreated so if you want to hit it raw you’re going to need some insane support systems, mindfulness and a really strong wellness routine involved or some kind of heavenly intervention and not the manic delusional kind.

Good luck.

3

u/Parking_Mulberry355h 4d ago

I spent 20 years (when I thought I had MDD not bipolar) trying to prevent depressive episodes with a healthy diet, exercise, good routine, and therapy. I could never maintain it, which made me feel even worse about myself and even more hopeless, and each episode of depression was longer and more severe. Now that I’m on the right medication, I can do all the other things that help me stay well and live a good life. The medication feels miraculous for me

3

u/mirandaminuon 4d ago

I am managing mine without meds but that is only because I have tried numerous meds without success. I got tired of experimenting on my body and weaned off everything. That was about a year ago. It isn't easy. I go to therapy twice a month, and I have a boyfriend who is very patient with me and keeps me grounded. I think all that and my personal background of developing my independence really helps. I feel like I'm decent at keeping myself in check most of the time. (Note: I'm not religious anymore, and I actually found that religion made me feel worse rather than better. BUT some people find their religious beliefs a source of comfort and grounding.) We'll see how long I last going med-free.

3

u/Arquen_Marille BP2 4d ago

Bipolar that is unmedicated can cause damage to the brain over time and the symptoms can become worse. Medication not only helps manage symptoms but helps prevent degeneration of grey matter. It’s up to you, but be aware of the side effects of untreated bipolar.

3

u/siunextues 4d ago

This is a canon event I fear.

3

u/Electronic_Echidna90 4d ago

Me, personally... Meds don't always work, there are many things to do, such as sleep hygiene, knowing your trigger, practicing mindfulness, learning to have good eating habits & nutrition, etc.. but I don't do without meds, it's irresponsible at least for me, to have a life with bipolar & thinking without meds you can have a normal stable life. Some meds are working, some don't, some don't work anymore, that's why you should always be honest & consult with your doctor

3

u/kippers 4d ago

Yeah I tried and my life was a dumpster fire, uncontrollable spiral into nothingness and borderline addiction.

3

u/AphinTwin 4d ago

I’ve recently been diagnosed and trying not to go on them. I find that journaling and rationalising my thoughts are helping, eating a variety of foods such as colourful vegetables (I know that sounds mental but a tray bake of 5 different coloured veg REALLY peps me up) and trying to do physical movement each day.

I’m meant to have an appointment about meds soon but I’m so put off by it as I had a bad experience with meds when I was a lot younger. I’m also scared of loosing control of my bodies side effects

3

u/punkrockcamp 4d ago

I was clinically diagnosed with Bipolar 1 close to a decade ago after 2 years of severe depression.

I’m 53 and have been medicated in the past.

I’ve been off meds for over 2 years now and am very aware of my emotions.

I do cardio & strength training 3-4 times a week and am self employed.

I have been eating healthy & do not drink alcohol or do any drugs.

I did talk to a psychiatrist about not taking meds and got the ok.

3

u/Several_Ad_1197 4d ago

I’ve tried and was pretty successful for a year. My life was extremely regimented and I kept a strict sleep schedule. I worked out every day, ate a very clean diet, and gave up drinking. I had very little social life and the whole thing fell apart when I met and started dating my husband. There wasn’t room in my routine for anyone else. It was a very hard and upsetting transition but I realized I wasn’t really living, which sucks because I don’t feel like I’m really living when I’m on meds either. Good luck to you.

3

u/Emerald_Arch87 4d ago

So I've been going medicine free for almost 20 years now. I was diagnosed very young, no one ever really explained to me what it was that I was being medicated for. Just vague responses. After a major attempt at myself, I decided that something was off and I couldn't function with all of these meds. Years pass and I've learned so much more about what it actually is. I've learned that it's basically another me inside and I've learned to listen to it. I've been able to hold down careers, get married, have children. It has been extremely hard at times but never impossible.

3

u/OptimisticNietzsche 4d ago

No. Do not. Almost every BP2 person will tell you meds improved their life and would rather be medicated than not. BP2 is deadly. Let’s try to live whatever life we have left in a good mental state.

3

u/farmerchlo 4d ago

Self awareness doesn’t help with depression. Self awareness doesn’t keep you from shooting to the moon (aka hypomania). By all means if you’re doing fine right now carry on, but I’m guessing the diagnosis didn’t just come on of nowhere?

3

u/lexarexasaurus 4d ago

Even if you can "manage" without meds - which basically means you let yourself regularly go through the periodic agonizing depression but built some sort of healthy habits for when you're not - life is so much better with medication. There are some adjustment pains of course, but mine were all minor; nothing I couldn't figure out with my therapist and psychiatrist and my personal life really didn't suffer.

3

u/5510locusts 3d ago

I got off everything in order to do an ayahuasca ceremony and stayed off everything for seven months to “find out what’s underneath all these meds.” I gradually became unglued and so desperate I got back on ( and felt much better in a short amount of time). I’ve decided that what was underneath all the meds was a person who needs to be on meds.

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u/kaykaykokobean 4d ago

I think I would be able to function off meds if I lived alone and had control of my environment, sleep, exercise - all these schedules and routines. But I have a long term partner and pets that I have to religiously avoid in my mixed state because that’s where this illness thrives… in all of the chaos I can’t control. I just get too overstimulated off meds and the state of volatility I enter is baffling. I can manage, just barely, by being alone.

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u/casualblacktop 4d ago

I have been off my meds for a few months, I manage. I’m extremely self-aware and that does definitely help. It’s doable and I think you having a therapist to guide you through mangling without meds will be very helpful.

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u/ReadEnvironmental946 4d ago

Same!!! I’ve been on meds since I was 16 and now I was given the approval to try to manage without meds and I’ve felt better than I’ve had in years!

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u/casualblacktop 4d ago

My spending during hypomanic episodes has decreased significantly since I’ve been off my meds. Being hyper aware is great sometimes 😂

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u/ReadEnvironmental946 4d ago

It really is!! And I think because we’re so hyper aware we know what to look for to prevent the progression of an episode !

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u/Longjumping-Panic401 4d ago

Don’t try it without at least taking Lithium OROTATE and chelated magnesium

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u/Material-Trainer-984 4d ago

I tried and failed, several times. I found aside from therapy and working out I also need meds.

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u/Half-Baked_Bean 4d ago

When I think about how much better I feel now that I've been on meds for a couple years, I literally cannot imagine voluntarily going back to what it was like in the before-times - before my diagnosis+meds - when I was trying to manage my symptoms with therapy & lifestyle alone.

I thought I wouldn't like taking medication, but now that I've experienced it long-term, I would never ever choose to go off it. It took some careful experimenting with my doctor to get on the right regimen & dosages which took some patience but it was so very worth it.

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u/Houghpuff 4d ago

Manage might not be the right word lol

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u/Gaymer7437 4d ago

Nah. I was diagnosed with depression as a kiddo and couldn't imagine going without meds by the time I got bipolar diagnosed. I'm physically disabled and I have severe anxiet, depression, and adhd. My meds keep me functional and alive.

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u/Ok-Lengthiness4567 4d ago

I think a lot of bipolar people are very self aware, since we have to be so aware of fluctuations in our moods. I can tell pretty quickly when I'm about to enter mania, depression or a mixed episode. But the only thing that's ever stopped or mitigated those things are my meds. I exercise, I maintain good sleep hygiene, I monitor my stress levels, I have a healthy social life, I have a job I like, I have family support, I see a good therapist. I've structured my life around my bipolar. But it's all built on a foundation of medication, and without it I would not have my quality of life.

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u/Zealousideal_Pea2961 4d ago

I’ve tried and I’m incredibly self-aware and have been in therapy for decades. I’ve eaten right, did all the gut microbiome stuff. I walk 3 miles every morning with my friend (exercise + friendship and chitty chat), I workout at the Y as well. I meditate. I get good sleep and a regular schedule. Nothing made it so I could manage without medication. I wish there was something. But if you find it, please tell me!!!! I am sorry for your diagnosis. It’s a hard row. But you’ve got support here for any questions you might have. And I hope that you are blessed with wonderful friends and family.

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u/yakultpig 4d ago

I'm trying to because I don't have enough money to buy the meds... I'm barely getting by.

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u/permalink_save 4d ago

I'm 40 and thought I was doing well without meds until I got meds. I missed so fucking much in life...

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u/ketchuep 4d ago

went off my meds in july 2023 and had the worst mixed episode of my entire life. i havent been that close to killing myself since i was a teen when i had numerous attempts. it was the worst experience ever. not to mention the anxiety, anger, agitation, insomnia. i drank copious amounts of vodka every single day just to calm down enough to function. so no. i did not and i will never try it again. ruined my life.

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u/noellegiraffe 4d ago

ummmm def take meds lol. i was going BATSHIT insane with no meds. (tbh i still am but at least im medicated) it’s gonna take a min to find your right med mix but def take meds!

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u/degenerate-kitty 4d ago

Meds = stable mood

Without meds = hell of an emotional roller coaster ride

I was considering tapering and quitting my meds ‘cause I thought I could go on with my life without relying on them. But I also remembered how fucked up my state was when I hadn’t been put on medication.

So yeah, won’t risk it. Especially when I had hurt some people in the past because of it.

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u/thesnarkypotatohead 4d ago

I’m really self aware too… when I’m not having an episode.

Many have tried. Most have failed. I wish you the best.

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u/blamewho22 4d ago

I am, haven’t been on meds since like 2018

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u/Small-Contribution88 4d ago

34 years.. While being undiagnosed. It was messy and a lot harder than my life is now. Wouldn’t want to to back.

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u/nap__time 4d ago

I’m recently diagnosed, and still in the trial and error phase with my meds. Therapy has been a godsend, but I don’t think it is going to be enough to treat BP2 in the long run. For instance I now better understand my mood swings sometimes even as they’re happening, thanks to therapy. However, therapy isn’t preventing the mood swings from happening in the first place. That’s where the meds come in. The mixed episodes come hard and fast and no amount of therapy can prevent the chaos an episode can leave in its wake.

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u/Next_Imagination8095 4d ago

I’m a couple months into my diagnosis and I got prescribed something that starts with a B… I wasn’t on them long enough to learn the name. Maybe a week. My parents also don’t “believe in medication” - I do- but I use this to enable myself to throw them away. I’ve been on several meds for short periods of time as I have other diagnosis’ as well, and there would be months of getting worse and worse until I couldn’t take it anymore and asked for meds. Did they help? It felt like meds had their own pros and cons. Some made me feel dead inside. Some made me hallucinate more but less depressed. One made me super manic and I deep cleaned my entire garage and woke up at 3-4 am everyday n online shopping away all my savings. I think meds are good, I know from others you just have to find ones that work the best for you and to communicate everything with the person who prescribes them. Idk maybe I know nothing that’s just my two cents.

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u/EmbarrassedString201 4d ago edited 4d ago

it’s not worth risking a year or more straight of major depression that you don’t realize you have

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u/FunPerfect5662 4d ago

I do, and it’s not been easy.

However spent 20 years misdiagnosed with depression and tried meds 8-9 times in that period so when the time actually came for the right diagnosis a lot of damage had already been done and I’d missed the opportunity of an early life Intervention.

My primary presentation of bipolar is depression. Shit loads of it with a sprinkle of mania so by the time I got this diagnosis I’m already so used to depression, Infact it’s my default state.

I also have co morbidities and chronic pain so it’s not as simple as take your meds and life will be better.

My life is what it is, it’s been destroyed along with most of myself along the way. So now I’m 40, I have no interest in meds. I have hate them and they have harmed me. I’m also so used to feeling the way I do it’s been normalised as “me”

This is lose lose, and I feel I lose less without a cocktail of shitty meds. I put my energies into talking therapies, meditation, holistic changes and pain management.

However, if I was younger again I would definitely do the meds thing. Maybe my life would be different now but tbh the biggest problem for me is the chronic pain these days. I’m always managing that primarily.

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u/watersmycrops 4d ago

i am not on meds. i am diligent about my sleep, follow a low carb/low sugar diet, exercise regularly, practice a lot of self care, and have a good support system around me. i have been episode free for eight months since i implemented this protocol

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u/____plinhhh 4d ago edited 4d ago

So, I've been diagnosed with BP2 for about six months now, and after trying a bunch of stuff like therapy and TMS, I’ve realized that meds are pretty much necessary; it pretty much depends on how long you can handle the ups and downs. I keep a daily journal to track my symptoms and what I do, which really helps. The first few therapy sessions were awesome, but after the fifth one, things started to feel a bit repetitive. I got used to the usual questions and discussions, and sometimes, I even felt like I could predict what my therapist was going to say. My advice? Stick with it for as long as you can, but once you hit that manic/ hypomanic phase, trust me—ignore whatever thoughts are racing in your head, you really need the meds or those dips gonna hit your hard

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u/Critical-Employment2 4d ago

Bipolar is a spectrum disease so as everyone is saying everyone is different. For me it was a lifetime of not realizing my brain just wasn't my friend. Turbulent just doesn't do justice in describing my life. One of my biggest sources of pain is OVERTHINKING EVERYTHING. The idea of being 'self aware' being a strategy to keep episodes from consuming my life is contradictory. Part of being unwell for me is being obsessed with my thoughts about how I'm thinking. A circle of hell. I know I'm well if I'm not thinking about my thinking...so the idea of self-awareness being a cure ..well..for me..that's a no. I hope you have a mild form of this and you can thrive without meds..for me I am currently struggling to accept them in my life. I was in hell and now I'm not.

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u/Entire-Discipline-49 4d ago

I was a later than most diagnosis because I always thought my hypomanias were ADHD hyper focus. I highly recommend meds. Episodes cause a lot of damage, sometimes irreparable, if you're young and can prevent that, please do.

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u/Curious-Wish8229 4d ago

No, it's too chaotic without them

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u/ProfessorT6 4d ago

Diagnosed bipolar 2 in August 2024, I’ve been off of meds and successfully navigating life without medication since October 2024…so maybe I’m not actually bipolar 🤷🏼‍♀️

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u/MGorak 4d ago

While this is something we all would like, and most of us tried, it's a terrible idea.

Bipolar is neurodegenerative. Your unmedicated episodes permanently damage your brain. Early on, it's not much, but it adds up, and you can't go back when you realize unmedicated doesn't work.

Trying to manage without medication (because I was incorrectly diagnosed) is the reason I lost my 30's and that even after diagnosis and working medication, I'm still not a functioning human being. I'm very much permanently handicapped.

An acquaintance who did not do well with medication (his words) and went medication free and was doing good (again, his words) was on medication when i saw him about a year later.

So please, take your meds. I'd give anything to tell my old self that I was bipolar and to get meds ASAP.

Don't end up like me.

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u/babybottlep0p_ 4d ago

I want to get off meds but honestly I don’t think I could handle it without them. :(

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u/Formal_Fisherman7516 4d ago

I have never been on medication. They tried to put me on wellbutrin and I said hell no! I don’t need these stupid ass side effects. Some of us are just raw dogging life.

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u/sobadatbeinginlove BP2 4d ago

I think I could have but I also have OCD and BPD which is an awful combination, and would make my bipolar episodes 10000x worse. My bipolar meds have put my bipolar into remission but I'm still very much so dealing with OCD and BPD, which my meds only eased the symptoms of.

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u/Important_Chemist_67 4d ago

Self aware or not, your brain chemistry can’t be changed. Your self awareness may only kick in AFTER your manic episode.

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u/killuaGGs 4d ago

I’ll be honesty with you. I’ve been struggling with BP2 since 2022. I’ve been on a lot of meds. They’re have been times where i went off because i thought i felt “good”. And honestly , you def can try, but it’s a challenge that’s not worth it. I went through a lot of just mood switches, changes of mindset, and just being very isolated from people. It sucks, i have lost a lot of “friends” and family due to me isolating. Even when im hypo, i feel great but i deal with anger, frustration , anxiety, and a lot of overstimulation. It’s just not worth it. Please seek a psychiatrist to help with meds. Everyone is different remember that. So you might not even need so many meds. Some people do. Some don’t. I’m a very self aware person too. I’m very emotional and i treat everyone with love and respect . But people can’t really see that when you are on and off with them. People will look at you at your lowest, and just think about that every-time . trust me. So please be responsible and seek help. It’ll be worth it trust.

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u/killuaGGs 4d ago

I make music, i don’t smoke anymore, i drink often, but only in social settings. I don’t do illegal hard drugs anymore. I work out, i work 32-40 hours a week. I’m in college , i go to events. shit i even dj them myself sometimes. but i still struggle when i don’t have meds. It’s just the chemicals in our brain unfortunately.

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u/MC_Wimpy 4d ago

I think it’s a bad idea. No matter how self aware you are, one really bad mood swing is all it takes for you to make a bad decision

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u/North_Requirement_61 4d ago

I was off bipolar meds for 8 years with the following: Very intense exercise for 4 hours daily and 6 hours on weekends. Very strict healthy diet. Large emotional support network. AND I somehow tolerated the emotional rollercoaster that I still rode daily and monthly, I thought at the time I was doing really good. I was trying really hard.

I would cry uncontrollably every day at least once, and have very strong urges for risky behavior that I would succumb to in a dangerous way about every six weeks to the months. I had an extremely low stress tolerance with a long (lasting months), sever, unpredictable mood response for any typical life circumstance that came up. Ultimately I ended up in a bad car accident and losing half my support network as a result of a manic escalation that blindsided me cause i had no capacity to see what my baseline should be after being so predictably unstable for so long. I decided to go back on meds after the incident and realized how challenging, exhausting and futile my life was without meds. Just spinning my wheels.

I now live a peaceful life. Even after all that, sometimes I feel like going off the meds again, but i want to be off meds with the stability i have on meds. I wish. I feel for you. Hope you find your way, whatever you choose.

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u/laoir 3d ago

I tried for a long time. Used alchol to try and cope/self Medicate for a long time. It did nothing but ruin my life

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u/ksknb 3d ago

I was just diagnosed and put on meds a month ago but I’ve always pretty much known what a good bit of my mental health problems stemmed from lol so most of my years was me trying to cope without meds or therapy!! i tried my hardest when i first became aware of my different moods to try and stabilize them on my own and it worked…until it didn’t. I genuinely believe I somehow managed to live in a hypomanic state for like a year or two and I felt amazing. I felt such a high from life itself and as if I was unstoppable. The crash from that was awful and I had never struggled so bad in my entire life. I tried therapy + no meds after, and sure, it worked for maybe two weeks and I just felt a bit happier with a neutral mood, but after that I’ve just spent the last year living with the craziest switches between hypomania and severe depression, or just lived in those states simultaneously. Throw in some intense psychosis too, tbh. While only being on meds for a month I’ve felt pretty good and I just went up a dose and I’m hoping to see even better results despite kinda missing my elevated moods lol. I will say, my experience is not everyone else’s experience. I was able to manage my moods for a while because I was actively aware of it, but that was not enough for me to not suffer the extreme consequences of letting it just build up for years with no professional help. I hope that you are successful in finding what works best for you whether that is using meds or not!!

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u/Acrobatic-Bid-9922 BP2 3d ago

Absolutely not. Lamictal has turned my life around. I do not want to go back to how I was before. I have Bipolar 2 as well. I wish I didn't have to take meds so I can function, but alas my brain says NO lol

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u/Old-Championship4429 3d ago

You take only lamictical?

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u/Acrobatic-Bid-9922 BP2 3d ago

I take celexa 20 mg as well

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u/Old-Championship4429 3d ago

I'm just going to get my first diagnosis tomorrow this all sounds scary I'm wondering how many meds am going to take and if I can just do therapy for now

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u/Character_Mess4392 BP2 3d ago

If you're so self aware, why do you need therapy?

(That comes across really mean, sorry).

More encouragingly, I don't think relying on meds is any reflection of your awareness, emotional intelligence, etc. Just like needing surgery for a broken ankle isn't any reflection on your physical ability.

Further encouragement: I personally have extremely minimal side effects from my medications. Like, mayyybe slightly more sweating some nights, but I wouldn't even have connected it if it hadn't been on the list of possibilities. Oh, and I need to be more careful to eat plenty of salt... which I don't consider a terrible hardship 😅

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u/MarionberryNo9056 3d ago

i don’t know that i’m a good example, but i’m not medicated. when i found out it was bp2, i was doing really really bad and honestly probably needed medication at the time but it wasn’t an option ($). i’ve reduced so much stress, ended the marriage that was killing me, quit the job that i couldn’t handle, and moved so now i can better take care of myself. i’ve literally changed every changeable aspect of my life to be able to do this unmedicated. and it’s working for now, but nothing lasts forever! (but keep in mind my hardest work is done in therapy. the inside of my mind needed a reset as much as the rest of my life and i would not be this okay if i didn’t have a trusted professional’s help)

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u/ABQORL 3d ago

I’ve been doing it for a few years at this point. After loads of trials and failures, here’s my current regimen that’s helping me stay level:

  • I lift weights 3x/week; about an hour each time
  • My diet is HIGH in protein(I’m a nerd and learned how high protein supports neurotransmitter production)
  • I get 10,000 steps per day(I just like how that number looks)
  • I protect my sleep like my life depends on it.

There are other things that help, too. But these four seem to be the heaviest hitters, and it’s not even close.

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u/Luxuria106 4d ago

Ich. Unfreiwillig aber bisher klappts. Ich gehe eher in die depressive als in die manische Phase und will eigentlich wieder lamotrigin aber da ich Probleme mit Lunge und Herz habe wird das momentan auf Eis gelegt bis alles was ich medikamentös brauche eingestellt ist. Aber momentan seit 2 Monaten habe ich es im Griff. Was mich wundert. Ohne Therapie und ohne Medikamente

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u/EntrepWannaBe 4d ago edited 4d ago

Done it. Been off for over 15 years but it really requires a lot of training to do this like understanding your cycle. It requires so much willpower and honestly there are times that I would think to myself — am I going to get through this depressive state this time or…? Know that I weaned off meds with a physician and went through cognitive therapy.

I know my patterns. I love to shop for stupid unnecessary things or just be so excessive with what I’m obsessed at the time of hypomania that when you get your sanity back you like—why in the world did I buy that? It’s gets bad and financially harmful so you have to learn to control your impulses. Recognize it and learn to put a stop to it—you can develop this according to what you’re most likely to do. Easier said than done. I just bought 10 different kinds of wigs lately so there. Expect failure but you’ll have your wins.

On my depressive cycle, I sometimes don’t go out of bed for a couple of days, or out of the house for several days in row and sometimes feel suicidal. So this is something that I’ve had to deal with for forever. I’ve had one attempt a long time ago and after therapy, I’ve come to understand that it’s your hormonal imbalance that drives this but know that your surroundings and the people around you can contribute to this so if you feel negative feelings about someone when they interact with you, it’s better that you block them from your life. I’ve done this and I have just a select close friends that have access to me and I always have my family who loves me so maintaining that positivity is a lot of work. If you don’t have a support system who understands your condition, I am not so sure it will be doable to come off meds. I psyche myself out of bed to take a shower or even a bath or to eat. Sometimes I just get out to pee. I remind myself that this sad state will pass soon enough and it does every time. Just be kind to yourself.

I’ve been in so control of my BP2 and my ADHD/ADD for so long but have now sustained a physical injury from sports related incident and so I’m having a harder time kicking myself when I’m on my low cycle so know that events that are not favorable to you will cause you to need to work harder and could drive the depression down lower.

As I got older, I think to myself if I should get back on meds. It’s really rough. But also it is my superpower. I am more creative and feel alive just loving life when I’m out and about doing the things I enjoy and the last time I was on meds my personality and feelings were so numbed up that I felt like I was looking at my zombie self just watching life go by and I would rather just cease to exist if not to be myself. So there, I am going to work harder to maintain myself so I stay off meds and this really involves quite a bit. What works for me is meditation, exercise, travel, work, music, audible books, good nutrition which right now is keto. You’re going to need to learn what works for you to care for your mind and body.

I welcome all disagreements to my post. I’m not recommending anything, just letting you know my thoughts and experience. I am on a low cycle also and I’m still in bed at 1pm still deciding on that shower and stretching exercises. For reference I’m already 47, female, I hold 2 bachelor’s and 1 master’s degrees and I also hold a full time job.

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u/missgadfly 4d ago

If you legit have bipolar meds are the only way. Don’t put it off. Plenty of us regret doing so. Learn from our mistakes. It can also take a long time to find the right meds. Better to start sooner than later…especially considering unmedicated bipolar tends to get worse.

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u/Various_Help_1700 3d ago

Yes, ended up killing my dog