What's Next - A cure????????!!!!!!

I have a celebratory story of recovery to announce to all my NAMI friends. My son, Josh, who has been on medication since 12 (for over 10 years now) for bipolar disorder, is now at the stage of what his doctor calls total remission.
This means his symptoms are not active, his mood is stable and the doctor has taken him off all medication! This was not a hasty decision on Josh’s or the doctor’s part. In fact, when the doctor first talked to him about weaning himself off his dosage of Lithium, Josh refused. After much thought, Josh and his doctor took the necessary procedure and weaned him off his meds. To support this decision, Josh sat down with my husband and I and we worked out a system to help him “gauge” his daily moods.
Josh will either email me or write on his blog and we make a point to talk on the phone at least every other day so I can hear his voice. This is as much to reassure him as much as support him.
Total Remission. What a concept!!!! When Josh was 15, he made it his goal to be off all medications by the time he was 25. He came to the conclusion that if his brain was controlled by chemicals, that he could control the chemicals by living a healthy lifestyle and working his brain, just like he would work out his muscles. He had a few set backs and screw ups. He knows his triggers. He has to get enough sleep – he HAS to. He has a laundry list of things that he has to do to feel his best. Frankly, it’s not much different than what I have to do to keep the pain of fibromyalgia at bay. And at this point, he’s managing his symptoms much better than I am.
Now he knows and we, his family knows, that he is not cured. Some day, he may need medication again. And when that happens, we will be the first ones at his door, insisting he see his doctor. Behind us, will be his friends and his girlfriend. They are part of his support team as well.
No one ever told us that this was a goal to even consider though. Except his first psychiatrist. Thank God for her. So our battle cry is Recovery! And recovery can include remission. Who knows, maybe the word cure will be our next goal.

My best to you always,
Deb Rose