Bipolar Disorder?

To those with bipolar disorder. If you have it does it mean you will have to take drugs for the rest of your life? My brothr's doctor told us he will take it only for 3 years, however 3 years passed and now he's saying he will have to be on some kind of meds for the rest of his life. He was off the meds for like 5 weeks, and he was fine, but now he prescribed him someting else. I don;t want him to take it anymore. They are killing his spirit.

Wow, a lot of people who have answered your question are firm believers in the church of the pharmacy. I hope this will even things out a little bit. Bipolar disorder is often something that people can outgrow as they get older. It has to do with having the emotional experience to be able to manage their emotions. I assume that your brother was diagnosed in his youth and is still fairly young. If that is the case he may leave it behind as he grows into adulthood.
Something else to keep in mind is that medical doctors in this day and age take the word of psychopharmacologists and drug doctors because they have a lock on all the right medical journals. But whatever those whitecoats tell you, keep in mind that they really have NO IDEA what is going on in your brothers brain. Nor do they come close to understanding why some of the medications they use work. Try asking them some detailed questions. You will find out very quickly that they are playing witch doctor with a bunch of serious chemicals without really knowing anything at all about what they are doing.
This somewhat frightening alliance between doctors and drug companies has failed to help many of the people they claim to be trying to benefit but that hasn't prevented them from being one of the most lucrative industries in the world. Studies have shown that doctors are really no better than anyone else for doing really good research for their patients and most of the time the lines they use to sell you these meds are taken word for word from the colorful ads sent to them by drug companies.
I don't want you to dismiss doctors and drug pushers, but you should make yourself aware that there are a lot of different ways of dealing with the difficulties we encounter in our lives. I suggest you look into other forms of treatment that do not necessarily grow directly out of the medical profession. They cannot do much worse than promising to keep your brother on drugs for the rest of his life while failing to give that life the quality that he has a right to expect from it.
Who knows, maybe after you do some serious research into your brothers condition you will not even want to call it an illness, or even a medical problem at all.
Be smart about your research. There are lots of hucksters out there, in the medical profession, in the new age healing industry, in chinese medicine, and so on; a lot of people have snake oil for sale. One of the best ways that you can identify these charlatans is if they tell you that something is impossible and their way is the only way. Anybody who tries to tell you about the facts of life in that light is a LIAR and a CHEAT.
This will not be an easy search. Bipolar disorder is hard on a person and it is hard on their loved ones. But your brother is lucky to have you caring for him and helping him in his life. That is the best medicine available, hokey as it may sound.
Keep looking, keep trying, and don't give up hope. Good luck!Bipolar doesn't go away. He will take meds for the rest of his life. They are not killing his spirit, he is killing his spirit. He needs to be optimistic.
yeah, well with out the meds he is a time bomb. you never know when he will crash. besides what does he say. the meds arent for you
Bi polar disorder is global warming. According to the current administration is "only a theory".
Bipolar is a very tricky condition and sometimes medications don't even help some cases. If your brother is taking a drug that is really "killing his spirit", it sounds like a medication adjustment is in order.

I do know that regular sleep patterns, eating an excellent diet high in fruits, vegetables and low in fast foods and pre-packaged foods can really help the symptoms to some extent. Plenty of exercise is essential. As far as medication, it takes a skilled psychiatrist to be sure your brother is medicated properly and doesn't feel "spiritless". If he's already discussed this with his psychiatrist and nothing has improved, I would see a new doctor. Unfortunately, your brother will most likely be on some form of medication the rest of his life.
it all depends on the prognosis means hw ur brother is responding to de medication.if he has not responded welll to de drugs for 3 years den he has to take them for rest of his life.they r not killin his spirit instead tryin to get them bak...so continue de drugs he'll surely b perfect