From the article: Making Ends Meet
Finding and keeping a job can be challenging for many people who have bipolar disorder. A supervisor, manager or boss may be unsympathetic or inflexible. Tell us how you have solved a problem regarding your bipolar disorder and your employment. Share Your Story
Support at work but still feel isolated
- Hi, I am very lucky as I have very supportive managers that are fully aware of my bi-polar disposition. I was diagnosed last year and after 10 months leave I am now back full time and for the most part coping. However I still find that people do not react well to me sometimes and frustratingly the biggest obstacle I face is the fact that I am not always listened to because of my diagnosis. That is, certain colleagues do not listen to my opinion as they think it is part of the disorder and not a valid objection or issue. This I find very frustrating and often it leads me to react in a slightly manic way - which then only lends weight to their belief. I firmly believe that being honest about my disorder is the best thing for me as it allows me to be honest about who I am but on occasion that honesty means my opinions are ignored. I hope that soon mental illness will be less taboo and that people will be able to see it as no different to a physical illness.
- —Guest Janey
Only a few people
- Only a few people at work but not the HR rep. SHe's stupid and I'm afraid of what she'd do. I have had this job for almost 7 years and have been mostly able to fly under the radar but there are a few days that that is not possible. If I'm smart that day I leave or call in sick. In this economy they can find 'other' reasons to get rid of you. So my lips are sealed. My husband is very supportive during any phase of the bipolar madness and my GAD add-on (oh yeah). I work with a sarcastic and negative man that happens to be my superior but I share an office and other spaces with him as well. I know he's toxic so I seperate myself from him mentally. You can do it by practice every day. I know that sounds like a lot of energy but it works. Don't tell anyone at HR- they work for the company and not for you. As for those with weeks off- get a psych doctor to write an official letter to allow for those days off due to a medical condition without saying they are a psych doctor. FMLA
- —bwaisley
discrimination
- I was fired after an anxiety leave of three weeks. I got a new job and the stress triggered the mania. That
- —Guest Em
Teaching
- Teaching middle school is a sensitive position and altho my supervisor last year knew I sometimes had emotional problems, I never admitted bipolar. That is just too much to admit for such a position.
- —kdc910
Flying under the radar.....
- everything i read tells us, "be upfront with your bi-polar status because eventuality the bias will dissapear. To this I say b e me! I even hate to have to declare to a new doctor or hospital my litany of drugs. Most of the drugs I take are used for many other illnesses but Lithium is (I think) used only for one thing. I lived in fear (irrational, I'm sure) that I would be exposed at work. I worked in retail for 17 years and there are many many questional characters. Retail is a draw for bi-polors I think because of the creative aspect. I would cringe every time an associate would say to me, "Joe Blow - and nod in his direction, He's bi-polar. I likened bein exposed myself to perhaps how a gay person might feel being exposed before they were ready. Know this, I will never be ready. Every one has a right to privacy. It is very difficult sometimes to fly under the radar - My husbands' first morning job has always been to drag me out of bed - once out of bed and in the shower
- —Guest elizabeth
bipolar
- l have worked in a care home for 15years and when i found out that l had bipolar l confronted my employers and found that they were very supportive and helped me claim d.w.a. which i get 265pounds a month. so dont hide tell yr employers as there are some good ones out ther
- —Guest carol lpool
Long-term job with Long-term illness
- I've been at the same job for 14 years. During half that time I fought horrible depression, but tried not to cry at work and rather to distract myself as much as possible. Over time, as the management started to trickle away and money was tighter than ever, my personal saddness turned to increased stress and frustration at work at around the same time I was diagnosed with bipolar 2. Now my job is so frustating , and when I'm not feeling calm and I hear the unfair or stupid stuff that's going on, it takes all my effort to stay calm and not have some type of inappropriate hyper- exchange that I'll regret. Every year, I get slighly more controlled. I meditate during long meetings and talk myself down by accepting that I don't have the power to change certain things in our company and the people who could change them, don't want to work that hard. They don't think ahead or take care of preventative details. I've learned to leave work at work more than ever before and it helps.
- —Guest bipolar molar
military is all about im better than you
- you are so right about the military and the VA! i did 5 years and i went thru heck and back. they actually throw out some of your med records when you get discharged to save the gov money. it happened to me. i have also been isolated because i could do my job better than the good ole boys network.
- —Guest that is so true about the military
Mental Illness Discrimination
- I have worked full-time as an RN for over 10 years and pride myself on the job I accomplish. I began a new job at a Veteran's Hospital a year ago in long-term care. I loved my job caring for our veterans and was told by all my job performance was excellent. Since I had only worked in the private sector, I was unfamiliar with the VA practice of "pulling" nurses to work on different units with no warning. Additionally, I was not informed of this fact when I applied for the position as it was not listed as an essential job function. Due to the fact that I have Bipolar 2 and panic/anxiety Disorder, I requested the reasonable accommodation of not being pulled to work other units. After 7 good months on the unit I was removed from my job and isolated from others. I am not being allowed to work as a nurse in any capacity despite the fact I have done nothing wrong. Although I have filed EEO charges against this VA for discrimination and retaliation, it will take over a year to resolve
- —RNfor10
