A very dear friend of mine, who shall remain nameless until he gives me permission to do wotherwise, asked a very pertinent question today. He has been dealing with the lovely effects of bi-polar disorder, and was looking for input on the eternal question: 'To medicate, or not to medicate?' This, I know from something.
'I have been living with the side effects and fun times of bi-polar disorder since the age of 11. Yes, the highs and lows do get worse as you age, but that has more to do with cellular degradation in the synaptic nerves than anything else, which is completely normal and happens to everyone. The only thing that I can say is that LIGHT meds are your friend. Heavy meds can lead eventually to the shakes of nervous system breakdown. And the shakes CAN be avoided if you keep to light meds and monitor your potassium intake.
Find what lets you quiet your head. The voices, all of whom are yours but run around like 'A Funny Thing Happen On The Way To The Forum on MUSHROOMS' most days and nights, can get overwhelming. Meds take the edge off, but YOU have to find what lets your grounded center spin and organize the flow of energy. Because it's your energy, keep in mind. People with these kinds of disorders tend to have a hole in their dam (the dam that lets you control the energy flow of your being). We get hit with waves. Some awesome, some drowning. You have to build your banks to withstand the flow, but not so much that the flow backs up into a stagnant quagmire. It IS manageable. and who knows, there may come a time when you CAN be off meds. I only went back on because of a series of additional long-term stressers in my life that pushed personal buttons. Before that, I was free of meds for several years and was perfectly comfortable. It CAN happen, but finding an equilibrium before weening off is a good plan, too.'
It's a fine line to walk, that much is certain. It's a rough road, that's certain, too. But then you get covered in a tidal wave of rainbow punch, and it feels better.
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