Is it normal for a bipolar friend to...

Hi there,
my dad has bipolar (now updated to schizo-effective disorder) and he would most certainly suggest that your friend took his meds, and comply with the medical professionals in every circumstance.
Good luck! (To your friend as well!)

xx

I would definitely keep trying to get him to take his meds. Even with my meds, my bipolar is so bad that I can't work, and am having to apply for SSI at the moment. But meds really do help to a point, and your friend would be much worse off without them! I can understand that he wouldn't want to take them...some people feel that having to take meds means that there's something "wrong" with them, and some just hate having to remember to take pills. Lord knows I hate having to remember to take mine every day! But even if I miss one dose, I am a horrible, horrible person to be around. Just keep pestering him. Even if he gets angry or annoyed, don't back down. Make sure someone (his parents, anyone in charge of him legally) knows he's not taking his meds, and tell them your fears about how he's dealing without them. That way they can keep track on him and make sure he's taking his medications. Plus, if he quit them cold turkey, that can be VERY dangerous physically, so it's very important that he STAYS on his meds, and gets doctor's permission and instructions to quit them if he really hates his meds that much.

If the question is whether it is normal for him to not be on his meds, well he obviously not as "well" when he doesn't take them which is what most people here have answered. If you question is if its normal for him to not WANT to take his meds, why yes its very normal for a bipolar person to not want to be on their meds because when they aren't on them they can't see the difference. If they stay on their meds they think much more clearly and if they care about what's best for them they will keep taking them. Make sure someone in authority is keeping track of him taking them.

Dude, I have bipolar and he really needs to be on the pills. Talk to his parents if you can without him catching you. Be careful though, us bipolar sorts can be sneaky!

True psychotics are bad about taking their meds b/c the meds may make them sleepy or fog their minds. Artistic bipolars are more productive when they're not having a episode. The dx is being over utilized. It's called disease-mongering.

Au contraire.

Many great artists were bi-polar, apparently Edgar Allan Poe being one of them. And some claim that the highs ARE worth the lows. I'm not expert, and I don't suffer from any mental disease (so maybe I shouldn't be speaking).

Okay furball was extreme, they aren't that bad. But bipolar people do have a serious medical condition that is a life long diagnoses. And while he thinks it is better off the meds it really isn't. He can harm himself and others depending on how depressed or manic he gets at any given time. But usually bipolar people do like the high of their feelings when they are up It however does have the crash, you need to explain that the crashes aren't worth the high moments. That he is risking too much by being off his meds, like losing people he cares about cause they don't want to be around him, life oppurtunities with jobs and he can have problems with the police depending on what he does on either a high or low. Sometimes the high can be like being on angel dust and everything is so detailed and beautiful that they don't notice what they are doing, they could walk into traffic just staring at a cloud in the sky. Or on a low they can try and hurt themselves and hurt others in the process. It's just to dangerous for himself and others.

Yes definitely, Bi-Polar is a VERY serious mental condition. He needs to follow his doctors orders. He can end up having manic episodes & harm himself or others, depending on his severity. If he gets really bad, Id even consider talking to his parents in private & tell them youre concerned. Just make sure they keep the conversation between you & them.