I'm diagnosed with a chronic mental illness and I stopped taking medication without my doctor knowing
Why did you stop taking your medication?
Hate how the meds made me feel. Would rather try to learn how to live with it without the meds.
I can see your point, but it is very wrong and dangerous to ignore your doctor's order. You should start taking the medication again, or else the illness might take a strong hold on you and you won't be able to escape from it.
I can't continue using the meds. I won't.
You need to. It is for your own good. Mental illness isn't something you can just live with by powering through it.