I am not saying to get off your meds!
that said...
The entire article is very long....
I think the arguement is simply about assumptions.
NAMI is funded by pharmacetical companies.
I think it is a valid point to take a look at ourselves.
I have for far too long accepted bipoolar as a label...an excuse for bad behavior....and not take accountability.
I have a brain and have to use it.
Yes I take meds but I also have therapy which has helped me more than the meds....learning how to cope and deal with the past etc.
Now I take much fewer meds than my pdoc wanted half I would say...I was over medicated.
I had to learn to recognise and police myself when I am starting to obcess too much....to do something different to stop the cycle.
It is normal for us to get upset and angry or even sad about things that happen...that is called a normal response....grief is not something that we need to medicate to make it go away.
WE have to work thru it...which is hard and takes a long time.
My best friend here is a great example of being over medicated.
10 years ago she was seperating from her abusive husband and overdosed, unsuccessfully thankfully and was diagnosed bipolar and put on meds.
since that time she was put on a variety of meds...having a multitude of side effects then adding on something else to counter balance that side effect.
at one point she was on 8 meds at once.
She has since remarried and went off all of her meds to get pregnant.
Since having the child she went back on an anti depressant alone and is doing well.
I think it is safe to say that keeping our bodies in balance is something that we strive to do.
That includes exercise, nutrition, emotional support, and medications as needed....wholistic approach.

I agree that not everyone Has to take meds to make it work.
IMO Every single person on the face of the earth can fit into the DSM4 category as it is all subjective....the drug companies would want everyone to have a mental illness....$$$$$
I will get off my little rant.
bizi