[c22]

I've definitely crossed that threshold before and, personally, I feel like I could have been better served by practitioners who viewed my condition as more of a place on a spectrum than as a specific disease that could be treated with medication. I tried many prescription drugs (or many were tried on me), some which had disastrous side effects. I had the best response to lithium which I used for a few years but it made me balloon up in weight and had some other negative side effects. For about 12 years I've managed my position on the spectrum with a combination of diet, introspection, and what I've learned are meditative techniques without any medication. And while I do run the risk of crossing that threshold again I have become adept at noticing when I am approaching it and correcting course. Every year I become more confident in my ability to stay balanced and I no longer experience the negative effects I endured while treating it as a disease.