Hi, Britt. You may want to ask your pdoc to reconsider why you're on lithium in the first place. There may be important considerations in your question that you left out, so I'm not about to come to any judgments. But there is a critical point:

You mention living in Washington State and the winter depressions. I lived in Vancouver BC for a year back in the mid-70s and I didn't know what hit me. I hardly saw the sun for 12 months. We now know that winter depression - seasonal affective disorder - is very real, and that those with bipolar are accutely sensitive to changes in the seasons. We also know that the Pacific Northwest is rife with cases of seasonal depression.

When I lived in Vancouver, the "cure" was living in Florida for the winter or a quick trip to Hawaii. Seriously, anyone who could afford to get out of town got out of town. The same cure still applies. But we also have light boxes, and if you don't have one you need to make the investment. 30 minutes daily is the routine, generally in the morning to get you going rather than cranking you up in the evening. And you need to consider the risk of mania.

I'm not saying the light box is your magic bullet. But it can be a very effective weapon in your arsenal. And in regard to where you live, it is strongly suggested you give light boxes a go.