I have a mood disorder. It took me over ten years to find an anti depressant that works nearly 100%. I was tried on a few mood stabilizers before I found this antidepressant but hated how hungry they made me, how dull they made me feel and the side effects. I dont really feel my bipolar diagnosis was correct and dont feel I needed a mood stabilizer, which is good because I would not have taken any mood stabilizer. I dont believe if you really have bipolar 1 (psychotic mania with depression) it can be controlled without medication. But like all psychiatric diagnosis, because there is no way to know for sure if a diagnosis is correct, it is often misdiagnosed.
Mood disorder not otherwise specified, which is way less severe, is often misdiagnosed as bipolar. And I am not sure that unless you get way manic that a mood stabilizer is a good idea. All of them also cause weight gain and extreme hunger. They also can make you feel very flat. It isnt fun. I felt worse pn them and finally said no more.
I would encourage her to get a second opinion about her diagnosis and medications. There are no blood tests to prove any psychiatric diagnoses so they are just the psychiatrists opinion. You can go to ten different ones and get ten different diagnosis. It can take time to find the right medications AND a sensible diagnosis that truly fits.
Does your daughter get psychotic when she gets high? Does she have very high moods? I never did. You have to be careful with a diagnoses.
At any rate, you cant force anyone to take specific medication. I am sorry she struggles. Does she take any recreational drugs?
