11 Responses to “Bipolar Work-Related Issues”

1. Bill Saunders on October 16th, 2008 7:14 pm

   Given your relationship and interest in mental illness, we thought that you might be interested in a campaign recently launched by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Neurosciences Department.

   Did you know that, in Canada:

   § Nearly one in three people will be affected by a mental illness in their lifetime?
   § Almost 46% think people use the term mental illness as an excuse for bad behaviour?
   § One in four are fearful of being around those who suffer from serious mental illness?

   This October, help Sunnybrook Foundation and Presenting Partner, Manulife Financial confront the stigma of mental illness and raise funds to support mental health research and care.

   Let’s Face This – Confront the Stigma of Mental Illness is an innovative grassroots web campaign designed to raise much-needed funds and awareness in support of mental health treatment and research. It is being launched in conjunction with Mental Illness Awareness Week, taking place from October 5 – 11.

   Why is it important?

   Despite the prevalence and impact mental illness can have on people’s lives and the lives of their loved ones, in many cases it goes undiagnosed and untreated.

   Why? Because there is a persistent stigma surrounding mental illness which can leave individuals too ashamed to seek help; too embarrassed to confide in a loved one, and left feeling alone and helpless.

   What Can You Do To Help?

   We invite you to visit the website – letsfacethis.ca – and post a photo and message on the “Tree of Support”. With each new photo added, the “tree” will grow, symbolizing growing awareness, education, fundraising and hope for those suffering from mental illness.

   Let’s Face This reminds us that mental illnesses, like depression and anxiety, are not the result of personality flaws or character weakness, but, like other illnesses, are biological in nature. And like other medical conditions, respond to treatment and care.

   I invite you to join me and countless others confront the stigma of mental illness.

   Let’s Face This together and confront the stigma of mental illness.

2. purple tablet on October 23rd, 2008 11:51 am

   This post is timely for me! I’m particularly engaged in thinking through some of these issues at the moment.

   I was diagnosed with Bipolar II earlier this year.

   I didn’t really “disappear” from work, so I didn’t have to transition back. But, I was really struggling, and intervention was necessary.

   I spoke to my manager, who was a fantastic support.
   The first thing we did was drop my workload down to 4 days per week, to give me a day to go to my therapy appointments, and generally make things more managable.

   I chose to tell some colleagues…
   My manager and colleagues have played a really important role in keeping me on track. If I feel like a situation is hopeless, or I’m buzzing and I can’t concentrate, I have people available to talk to about it, and they help re-focus me.
   My manager and I have drawn up schedules and to-do lists. We’ve also tried to find ways to use my strengths, and to re-distribute work that I find difficult, but others do more easily. I have a notebook for my “ideas” so we can capture them, and look back at them later, and follow up the good ones.

3. neurozen on October 28th, 2008 5:50 pm

   I was not yet diagnosed as BPII however I did have a depression/panic diagnosis at the time, and had to leave my job because of it. No one was particularly supportive. My boss gave a lot of lip service to being helpful and understanding but she had a very domineering, controlling personality, and stressed me out to no end. She was very mean at times and the fact that I had a mental illness never seemed to occur to her when she was being nasty. I gave a month’s notice to give them ample time to find a replacement when I left, but ended up leaving even a week early, since they had found someone and I was doing so badly. I had seen the company therapist (as it was a healthcare company they had an employee assistance program) and spoke to HR and no one did anything to help. I didn’t make a big fuss of things because it was just too hard, but there were times when I took up to a week off of work because the depression was so severe.

4. iMedix on November 25th, 2008 9:52 pm

   Mentally disabled employees are protected under the ADA just as those who are physically disabled,” said Sidney B. Chesnin, lead trial counsel for the EEOC. “Disabled employees are entitled to consideration of a reasonable accommodation for their disability. By simply giving a worker a reasonable period of leave to adjust to a medical condition related to a disability, the employer can often pave the way for the return of a productive employee.”

   Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Patients, Bipolar Symptoms, Bipolar Community, Manic-Depressive, Mania, Mood Swings, Mood Stabilizers, Mental Health Evaluations, Episodes

5. JCC1980 on February 14th, 2009 8:05 am

   I was diagnosed Bipolar NOS about a year and half before I resigned from my job. I was in a position with a lot of responsibility and little to no direction. I was great at the job, when I first started, because I was hypo-manic all the time. I could do the work of 3 people. Once I got on medication, though, I started working at the pace of a “normal” person, and my anxiety really started to kick in. Even though I was doing great at my job (according to everyone else) I felt like I should always be doing more. Just a note**other people in the national nonprofit that I worked for, felt the same way about the job…so it wasn’t totally me. However, I’m not one to sit around and collect a paycheck, so I decided to leave to pursue something that would be less stressful and make me happy. Who would have known that my husband would be laid off his job two months later?? What’s surprising to me, is I am coping better with the stress of us being unemployed than I did at that job.

6. Nate on May 15th, 2009 6:34 am

   Hi. I’m 31 years old. I have been with my current employer for 13 years. During my 13 years, I have held many positions with the company. Mostly, advancing from one role to the next.
   A couple years ago,I was on such a high. Performing the job of multiple people, working 60 hours a week, and really loving the mental stimulation that work was offering me. My boss was really cool with me. He loved that I was a hard worker, and was always up for the next challenge. I started to realize that my brain wasn’t slowing down at all. I couldn’t sleep. I was making poor decisions, and I was starting to spin out of control. I needed help.
   Long story short, a couple years later, here I sit. I have been diagnosed with ‘Ultradian Cycle Bipolar’.
   My job has changed significantly. I was recently demoted because I “Wasn’t a fit for the position”. It was ok by me though. I was struggling very hard at work.
   I had a hard time being around people. I wanted to isolate myself in my cube all day. I hated the leadership team (one great leader that gave me clear direction, and one idiot that liked to give conflicting direction). So, they put me back onto project work. I tend to thrive on project work. Unfortunatly, this project was HUGE! My portion of the work would be done within a few short months (then I would need to find another position or job) but the rest of the project was several years in duration.
   After starting my new position on the project team, I found myself resenting work. I sat there day after day starring at my laptop through tear filled eyes. Grinding my teeth, and trying to breath. I couldn’t complete even the simplest of tasks, and concentration was out of the question.
   My home life was suffering badly. Every bad day at work was going to be a bad day at home. And I knew that.
   I am currently taking time off from my work. Honestly, I love the company I work for but I hate my position. I am going to take some time off on FMLA, and short term disability to really take the time that I need to recover. Trying to adjust to the medications, and work through the cycles was hard enough when I actually liked my job. I harldy doubt I would be able to do this now that I hate my job.
   I am very thankful for FMLA. It helps protect my job while I am out. If this ends up costing me my job at a company I have been at for 13 years…..So be it! I am worth the time off to heal myself and get the proper recovery time that I NEED so desperatly.

   Good luck to you all that struggle. May you find the strength to do what’s right for you!

7. Henry on June 19th, 2009 11:22 am

   I am currently employed at a call center (I know right) anyway I have been here for over a decade and I hate it. I hate more that I am on medication. The stress was exciting cause I was manic all the time. Now the side effects worsen when my stress levels go up. I think everyone is stupid now and get dizzy and nauseous when I start getting angry. Basically I leave early every other day because I can’t cope. I would quit but my partner lost his job and I make good money. My boss told me to file for disability and I would love too. Alas the economy for bids it so I suffer daily until I can get out.

8. Allie on June 26th, 2009 7:40 pm

   Hello. I’m 24 years old and was diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder about a year and a half ago, but have had symptoms since childhood. I’m not convinced I’m Bipolar II because I have rapid-cycling mood swings and can have episodes that seem more manic than hypomanic (doing risky things that I don’t really remember later, hallucinating, etc.)

   Around the time I was diagnosed my mood swings were so severe that they affected everything in my life, including my job and marriage. I was the Clinical Manager for a pediatric office and the stress was really getting to me. I became suicidal and my therapist recommended time off work but I did not feel that was acceptable.

   I suffered through two years of misery and stress until I finally had a complete breakdown.

   My boss forced me to take a week off work, then offered me a different position with less responsibility (no management) and working from home, stating that I had done such a wonderful job all these years but she felt it was time for a change for me.

   I couldn’t be happier! My new position offers flexibility and gets me out of the stressful atmosphere of a pediatric office. Also, I am able to get much needed sleep!

   Everyone at the office says they miss me being there every day and love me, but think it’s a good change for me also because I seem happier, healthier, better rested and less irritable.

   I suppose my suggestion is that if you are unhappy and your job is affecting you and making your moods more severe (or making you suicidal, like in my case), don’t wait until you have a total breakdown to make a change. I could have killed myself over a job!

   Instead, talk to your supervisor or boss. Maybe there’s another position, or maybe you can find another job where you will be happier and your life will be more manageable.

9. Angry Husband on October 5th, 2009 6:54 pm

   My wife was just fired for being a “liability” to her employer for having bipolar disorder. Thing is, her co worker has bipolar and talked about suicide several times and the employer counseled her and is still employed. My wife talks about writing suicide notes to help her realize she does not want to die once and she is a liability and fired. I need some direction on who to speak to and what her rights are.

10. john on October 12th, 2009 9:34 am

    I was diagnosed with BPII last May. The past year has been a roller coaster. I am a spender when I cycle and had accumulated a large debt. The bigger issue I have not been able to hold a full time job since 1992. Fortunately my wife has a major position and I was allowed to stay home and care for children and sick parents.

    My child is preparing to leave for college and I am terrified ablot the job market and more so what I can safely handle. Is it better to work part time or go back full time. I have tried real estate the past 4 years , but the stress and lack of steady income and the continuos costs to the firm despite no income.

    i am substitute teaching and like it. There are those encouraging me to teach full time but I am not 100% sure. Is there accomadation in school systems for people such as us?

    My BP probably has been aorund since college. But for the most part I was manic , and people saw me as high strung. The truth was I was afraid of everything and hid behind bravado thinking everyone was judgeing me ir out ti get me. This attitude permeated my education as well as my employ.

    Today I am 100% better but not healed. BP is no different than diabetes or heart disease. It needs to be cared for physically and emotionally. I find exercise to help level thinsg on a particularly bad day even if I have to force myself.

    The most difficult thing however,has been the constant increases in meds over the past year with stressers and other changes. I hate that the enviroanment dictates my life, I hate the inability to get my weight back under control( terrible I am a fashionista) and i hate not being in control.

    My hope is I can find a carrer balance in my lfe that will not sabatoge my illness. I so appreciate others sharing their stories, its so nice to know i am not alone.

11. Anonymous on November 8th, 2009 8:40 pm

    Does anyone wonder why there are so many people suffering from mental illness? I have also been diagnosed with being bipolar II. I spend obscene amounts of money in my manic phases. Most recently over 40,000 in just a few months. Crazy right? I suffer with concentrating at work, home..everything is a mess. My psychiatrist is amazing. We’re just in the process of finding a medication that works. Limotregene seemed to help A LOT…but bleeding gums was a side effect. Nice. All this time I thought I had a strange personality…I know now, I’ve been sick.

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