Mania? or something else?

The more I look into anti-psych websites, the more I am finding spiritual teachers claiming that mania may actually be some sort of spiritual crisis or kundalini experience. When looking at alternatives, yoga, healthy eating, mindfulness, meditation seem key.

Personally, I have experienced much of what happens during a kundalini awakening, but Psychiatrists do not care what you may be experiencing spiritually. Whatever they see as, "not normal behavior" they will drug you up until you have nothing to say.

I know if I go off of my meds, I will most likely experience another manic episode. And instead of drugging me up I'm wondering if it'd be best for me to seek out a spiritual teacher or go on some sort of retreat, which may actually heal my problem instead of giving me mental crutches to live with.

I am willing to go there.

For those of you who have experienced a "manic episode" do you think there was more to it?
Have you found alternative ways to prevent it?