Did using street drugs give me bipolar disorder?

thank you *letting out a sigh of relief*

it's nice to see others showing their support for those afflicted without having to 'blame' some 'thing' on the affliction.

thank you, shmity72

A close friend of mine has been using Cannabis regularly for a number of years and has recently been diagnosed with bi polar disease.  They say that smoking this drug helps their mind considerably when they are having one of their "high" periods. They have just started taking Lithium and see no reason in stopping smoking this weed.

Can you please give me some advice or facts I can pass onto them to show them that they must stop smoking this drug.

They are not listening to me and am at my wits end, they don't seem to think it is doing them any harm.

Marijuana helps me more than a mood stabilizer (depakote) in leveling me out somewhat. Not much of it or I get paranoid but just a little seems the right amount. yes I guess Ive been self medicating for years like since my teen years and Im now 41. when I tried the depakote, made me feel very off balance and wierd. of course there are side effects to weed like affecting the memory. So much for babying my brain, but definitely would like to find the "right mix" of meds so I can stop smoking weed. One interesting note when I stop smoking for a while, my scrabble average goes way down :( Im a big scrabble player lol.

Just got on disability finally but still have no insurance, so up to now I couldnt really afford the doc visits and the meds. Lexapro is what Im currently on in addition to xanax for panic attacks. Have been takin the lexapro about 3 months and think it may be helping some with the depression. Anyway it costs like 100$ a month! any advice? Thanks