I’m struggling to find thought provoking podcasts on bipolar. I want to join the journeys of people actively working on themselves, testing different methods to stay regulated, and sharing what works for them. I don’t want to go to school for bipolar or hear preaching from yet another psychiatrist who isn’t bipolar and hasn’t had to take antipsychotics themselves.

For example, I couldn’t even listen to this entire episode, so someone please tell me if there’s any value in it later on: https://psychcentral.com/blog/inside-bipolar-podcast-medication-noncompliance-in-bipolar-disorder

1. The tone and content are patronizing. Why is there any mystery about why bipolar people don’t take our meds? Is it because we’re degenerates who just can’t resist trying to get high on the euphoric mania some of our brains produce some of the time? I won’t shame anyone for trying to fix depression and total numbness with that plan, even if it’s a bad idea.
2. Yes, drugs are life saving and I am physically dependent on mine. And, many of the drugs we get actually don’t help long term and can make things worse during the guinea-pig-style experimentation period (“let’s throw this at the wall and see what sticks”). Some of us are left on antipsychotics at higher doses than necessary for longer than necessary. Seems to me psychiatrists like it that way; my lobotomy-in-a-bottle dulled me too much to be a risk. It also made it impossible to work, exacerbating my disability in my case, not helping it after a certain point.
3. And of course, the biggest reason: **side effects**. Short term can include, not limited to: no libido, no ability to climax, weight gain, cognitive dulling, memory loss, no appetite, too much appetite, etc. Long term: damage to kidneys and liver, increased dementia risk, etc. I welcome any shrink who prescribes these drugs to try one for a few weeks and see how they like it.

Any podcasters saying something innovative, refreshing and real out there??