I know you're primarily talking about bipolar disorder, but I do want to say something about med compliance with schzioprhenics:

I think that one of the major reasons why people with schizoprhenia don't stay on their meds is because they honostly don't believe they have an illness. They can't understand, due to their distorted minds, that they in fact are ill and therefore have no reason to think that they need to be on medication.

I know something similar to that has happened to me.

I at one point I went off my medication becuase I had formed these tremendous friendships and once I started taking the medicine, my friends began leaving me.

When that happened, I expirienced a lonliness that was unbearible. I had never felt like that before. I was SO lonely.

I was such at loss, that I began to become disgusted with everyone for not being half the people my real friends had been. When I would go to school, I would hate my classmates and teachers so much becuase they were NOTHING compared to the powerful people who had been in my life for years.

The lonliness was SO overwhelming, that I went off the medication so my friends would come back to me. And they did. But in the end, I didn't like it very much as I quickly found myself in the hospital.

Anyway, I think that's the kind of things that happens to people with schizophrenia -- distortions in their minds that don't let them see what is really happening.

With bipolar people, it's probably more of a don't like the side effects thing, which is completely understandable.

But with schzophrnic people, I think all the weirdness blurs out the big picture and that's what makes med compliance tough.

one must wonder how many people actually blow off meds because they feel fine. in my experiences, i CONVINCE myself i feel fine...when in reality it's one of the following:

a) i can't afford the meds, thanks to insurance.
b) i'm working and can't wake up thanks to meds
c) i'm more depressed on the meds
d) tired of looking for yet another doc and another new combo

i won't lie- there have been a few instances over the last 19 years that I have decided- I feel great! I don't need this pill or this doc. But only once or twice. It's almost always something else fueling it. It's a tough battle, and part of the illness. I wish it were easier. I wish I didn't crave people to understand me... understand this illness. If I were to total what I have spent on therapy, meds, etc...since the age of 13- it would be frightening and depressing. All for something family and society like to tell me is not "an illness." It's all in my head. Ok, I'm bitter. Keep writing Philip. I adore you.

I should add- by no means should anyone go off their meds. I'm frustrated and I think it's time we do something about it. I've been dealing with these side effects, the lack of insurance coverage for too long. Still bitter...