What is more effective: Mood Stabilizer or Anti-Psychotic?

What do you find helps you more?
I took just an AP for years and was fairly stable. I feel even more stable with a mood stabilizer. I have heard of people taking just a mood stabilizer too.
Also, which one has more severe side effects?

Valproate has been my bedrock treatment for years because of Lithium side-effects. At it's worst it takes the edge off of mania, so that I can at least recognise it in myself more (all that CBT helps too at these times); at it's best it is completely stable...at my baseline - melancholy. So needs an adjunct to deal with other symptoms. I did try some antipsychotics before antidepressants but they gave me tremors that affected my work, and paradoxically at least one gave me agitation. It's been hard to find an effective antidepressant because my psychotic features weren't being addressed - mainly paranoia, which is easier to manage depressed than manic . So I finally found a combination that has completely dulled my mind, now I go through life as a zombie to protect the people I love. What choice?

I haven't given up though, I need to find the balance where I can still have my mind.

I had better luck with Risperidone than Lithium but I still didn't appreciate the low energy and low mood. It's an individual compromise on what one is willing to give up for "stability". I think it's a different compromise for BP1 over BP2 since I fear depression more than hypomania. I can imagine manic hospitalization would make me accept a more stable low. Unfortunately, I'm not even sure what my baseline is anymore, I just know what I won't tolerate as "existing".

As sad as it sounds, I'd rather go out crazy than subdued but I don't think I have anything else to live for. I think a lot of people still have a bucket list or just a need to accomplish something or have others relying on them (yeah, I'm in this boat). In that sense, I guess stability is the way to go.

I need both, especially because I get psychosis outside of mood episodes. Right now it's Zyprexa and Depakote. I think antipsychotics tend to have worse side effects, but help more with mania/mixed episodes.

Def need both... my two mood stabilizers (in theory) keep me from cycling. But my AP prevents my hallucinations and paranoia and also tempers my mania. They're not 100% effective but I imagine I'd be far worse without them.

I feel like Lithium is very natural as it's just a salt. Not so sure about the chemicals in the anti-psychotic that mess with dopamine and serotonin levels.

I need both. I must take both or I become depressed-type of unstable. I have the most problems with severe depression and both of these drugs combined really really do the trick. I take Lamictal as a mood stabilizer, plus it helps with the depression, and on top of that I am able to handle an antidepressant, Wellbutrin. I think it just depends on the person and for a few lucky individuals, a mood stabilizer is all they may need. Lucky you!