FUCK MEDS.
I've been on all of these drugs, and let me say that there is absolutely zero evidence of long term stabilization or cure of any mental health problems due to medications. Instead, its the "Special Meds Merrygoround" where they "adjust" and swap one med for another.
I have slight mood/impulse control problems. I also have a history of doing lots of drugs. I'm very sensitive to drugs and I first started taking anti-depressants after a few months of sobriety because I was feeling very depressed. So, they give me anti-depressants and then I go psychotic, so they then give me mood stabilizers (lithium) and told me I was bipolar and that I would never be cured but it could be "managed" by taking medications and seeing doctors the rest of my life.
So, I take these medications for all of my adulthood from 19->42 and am now 45. I'm off the meds now and only occasionally drink alcohol, which I'm regretting more and more each time I do. I went psychotic again coming off of the meds. Lost my job, wrecked my car, and other fun things. But after my brain got used to making its own chemicals again, and I learned to feel emotions again and how to handle them, I've been fine ever since. I also regularly exercise.
Let me repeat.
FUCK MEDS.
If you feel bad, trust me, a "doctor" will give you a myriad of pills for the rest of your life. However, this is not a real medical diagnosis and there is no objective measure of the efficacy of the medications. Meaning, there is no blood test for a chemical imbalance. Its all self reported symptoms and a diagnosis by someone's opinion of the reported symptoms. The only medical tests I've had done were lithium levels done which just measure the amount of the drug in your blood stream. There is no pre or post medical tests for the necessity or efficacy of the medications. Its again based on the opinions of self report.
Now, lets look at the meds I've been on.
I've already mentioned lithium. That makes me feel depressed, confused, stressed out, and numb to real emotions. It screws with your hydration levels and kidney function. Not sure if its related, but I did get kidney cancer. This medication is OK for bringing down someone from a psychotic state, but I don't know of any evidence that this drug should be taken indefinitely. Psychosis will go away in time with or without drugs.
Anti-depressants. I needed these to counter the depression caused by Lithium. I've been on desiprimine, paxil, zoloft, welbutrin, and possibly others. They stop working in time and need to be "adjusted".
Benzodiazepines. A doctor got me on one of the strongest benzos on the market and I was sleeping up to 15-18 hours a day and was suffering and actively complaining of long term benzo usage problems like memory problems. I was suffering the classic symptoms of long term benzo use. So my doctor gave me vyvance, which made me psychotic and paranoid and I stopped taking that after a few weeks. What saved me from the benzos was that "doctor" left the country and another doctor said WTF??? And he got me off of the benzos. Again, these are not for long term use. See this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_long-term_benzodiazepine_use
Anti-psychotics/mood stabilizers. I've taken all but tegratatol and some others.
Today, I am fine. This took about 2 years to get stable after stopping the nonsense of medication.