Hey Miss Muppet, I'm Bipolar II and Asperger's. I know what you're going through and you may find you have to try a few different things before you find what works for you.
I personally require medication and I tried a number of AD's over a few years that either didn't work or make me worse. I found one that helped with the depression but a couple of years ago, I also had to be prescribed a mood stabiliser to help me with my anxiety.
I used to take a higher dose, but found that it made me drowsy in the mornings. So I now take a lower dose and that, combined with the AD I take each day, seems to (mostly) make me function.
I also discipline myself to not just rely on the drugs and expect everything to repair itself - like everything, it's something I need to work through (easier said than done, I know!).
If you want to try non-drug methods, I would recommend working with your GP and, if possible, a psychologist. I have a psychologist and have found Cognitive Behaviour Therapy methods to be quite effective.
We're like snowflakes though, no two people with Bipolar and other conditions are alike, so the best thing is to try different methods and see what suits you best. I combine medication, professional counselling and exercise to minimise my symptoms - you might find a completely different journey in helping yours! I have had a tough, sometimes harrowing, journey in getting to where I am, and even then I STILL have my dark days.
Hang in there, though - there will be times when you feel helpless and that there is no way out. Reach out if you have anyone to reach out to, or come to the Community Board during those difficult moments.
Remember, when it comes to getting through tough days, everyone here has a success rate of 100% 🙂
