There is major differences between anti-depressants and anti-psychotics. I agree that this world depends way too much on meds. It's the easy way out for so many doctors - got a symptom - drug it ! But people that need anti-psychotics NEED to take those meds. Take someone with a headache that takes an aspirin -- they could probably cope without it. Someone that suffers from extreme migraines NEEDS to take the meds prescribed to them for their mental survival. The same goes for those who need anti-psychotics.

I often wondered what the relationship between religion and schizophrenia was. Schizophrenics are usually diagnosed because of the voices from God and the devil. It would be interesting to know -- if someone with schizophrenia raised where religion had never been introduced -- would still hear voices from God.

Next time you're in a quiet room by yourself -- imagine hearing someone's voice calling you by name. You'd spin around and expect to see someone you know in the room with you. After your heart skipped a beat you would probably think -- its all in my imagination and have a good laugh over it. But what if that voice called you again and this time several other voices started talking to you -- telling you the neighbors could read your thoughts -- that you were ugly and everyone wanted to kill you -- to listen to them or you would die. Ghosts ???? GOD ????? the devil ???? So you run to a loved one and ask them, in a panic, if they hear that -- how difficult it would be to believe that they didnt !! How easy it would be to become paranoid. I can't even imagine what it would be like or how I would have the strength to survive it !!!

I have soooooo much respect for you ladies that suffer from mental illness's, like bi polar, and openly talk about it. Mental illness used to have such a stigma about it, but the more people talk about it, the more its accepted and more research will be demanded.

To me -- You are heros !!