Therapy and medication- both are important!

[purple1234567]

I've been reading up a bit on bi-polar and I keep seeing that it's extremely important to not just rely on medication or not just therapy, but to combine the two.  

Have you found someone to go to for therapy that you are comfortable with?  Are you using both medication and therapy?  Do you find it helpful to have both rather then just relying on one or the other?  

[specialmom]

Science/ research definitely supports the approach of medication AND talk therapy for mental health issues (not just bipolar but depression and anxiety and all others).  

Yes, unsure, it's difficult when the medication is hard to take.  Today's drugs are much better than in the past.  What they know about treatment of bipolar has improved.  I'm so glad you are able to function well and your mom is also without intervention.  Sadly, many do need it in order to get by day to day.  Bipolar can be a dangerous disorder when people make irresponsible choice during the manic phase and then plummet to great depths during the depressive stage.  

But purple, yes.  I've read similar research.  Lifestyle is helpful too in my opinion.  Thanks for starting this conversation!

[UnsureMS]

Good Afternoon,

I was dxs with bipolar when I was 15. I had a therapist and was placed on meds. However by 17 I noticed that the meds really seemed to make me a zombie, and I never felt like myself. I stopped taking them due to this. The therapy was helpful, but only when I had someone I truly trusted, otherwise I didnt want to open up. I am 34 now and I am not on meds, or having therapy. I have learned to cope with my mood swings, and issues on my own.

Now, my mom was also dxs bipolar at age 15 she is extremely bipolar though. For her meds sometimes worked in the past and I believe therapy would work but it is hard to find someone she will open up to. She is now in her 50s and she is not on any meds, and doesnt have a therapist due to her not having insurance. We have found that medical marijuana relaxes her and helps her at times. She also has learned to channel her mania and depression into gardening and caring for her birds.

Alot of my family has mental disorders, and i believe that each individual person is different and what works for some doesnt work for others. I also believe that alot of these disorders are triggered by trauma or other life events. I know my mom had gone through alot when she was younger, and if you get her on a day when she is willing to talk you can find that those past traumas still haunt her.

I hope this answers your question,

Kimberly

[purple1234567]

Thanks for sharing your input Kimberly and for sharing your story!  

[purple1234567]

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