Bipolar Disorder by Anonymous

I have been diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder and depression. I've been suicidal and still struggle with it.  I am 52 years old and in my forth semester at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota.  I use marijuana to help fight depression and keep my focus.  I have tried Effexor, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Prozac , Depakote and many other drugs with little benefit and side effects which took away my life force.  Of course I'm an artist. I'm not sure if being an artist brings on these depressons or if people with these symptoms become artists to cope. I just know that marijuana helps me cope. I would rather not use it, as it sometimes makes me too tired to work, but I use it only when necessary and often take naps and get up early in the morning to finish school projects.  Not unlike many college students, I guess.  I'm fifty- two, so I don't have the same energy level as younger students.  Like I say, I would prefer to live life without any medication at all, but that unfortunately is impossible.  I've read many papers by Dr. Grinspoon and have written a research paper on medical marijuana.  It was a surprise even to me when I found this Web site explaining that cannabis helps bipolar disorder.