Hi Chris &

to the site
We are all different & we all find different ways of coping & dealing with things. We all have different ideas & perspectives on what works & the effectiveness of different approaches.
Personally I have found anti psychotics to have been very debilitating for me. I would much rather have been given more comprehensive & psychological help when I have been ill; & not stuffed full of meds. Over the years & against doctors advice I have stopped meds on a number of occasions. Initially I was successful, however; I was placed on very high doses of an anti psychotic some 10 years ago; which I have been unable to successfully stop; despite 3 serious attempts. The result though is that I am on a single low dose of one med - 175mg of Amisulpride; instead of the 1200mg I was originally given (& told I would be on for life). Had I taken the advice & instruction of doctors, then I would be on sleepers, anti depressants & high doses of this drug.
Almost all orthodox psychiatrists prescribe drugs; that is what they do. I do not think they are infallible, nor do I think they know what they are doing in a lot of cases. I think drugs are too widely & over prescribed; & the people prescribing them are not aware of the full picture. But; most people conform to & accept the bio chemical paradigm; & are happy to be treated from the orthodox scientific perspective with medications as the primary treatment. Maybe for most people that is what is best for them. I have looked for & found other angles & ways of approaching & recovering from mental illness. I do think it is important, at the least; to acknowledge that there are other healing systems, which can work, often very effectively, & other viable approaches; other than the bio chemical one, however unpopular they may seem to some.
Here is a link to a site exploring the creative & "Positive" aspects to mental illness - focusing on Bi polar. This page contains a very informed & balanced article on medication, which you can print off or download. -
http://theicarusproject.net/alterna...duction-guide-to-coming-off-psychiatric-drugs
There is also a very busy forum on the above site.
Here is another site - a series of Blogs, exploring & gathering comprehensive information on the "alternative" aspects to mental illness -
http://www.blogger.com/profile/16283478682307609903
The above link is to the profile page - scroll to the bottom right & there are links to the three Blogs - Voices of Recovery, Spiritual Recovery, Spiritual Emergency
Here is a very good site; in which a genuine scientist & doctor has explored the damaging effects of drugs, he has written some very good books. -
http://www.breggin.com/
Of course this is all IMHO & the opinions of others. It is about finding your own path of what works for you & can best help. I do think that there is a place for meds; of course they can help in certain circumstances; I just don't agree that they should be the first & often the only main option. I accept, given my past, that the lesser of two evils is for me to take a small dose of one drug. I actively have refused other meds, & in the past refused attempts to up this dose, & have gone against doctors advice to reduce this med. I am happy to be on the lowest dose possible & it suits me. Horses for courses. I wish you well & all the best in finding recovery from the things you are experiencing.