Bipolar Disorder is considered a disability by SSDI, and is considered a mental disorder. For an adult suffering from Bipolar Disorder, certain effects of the condition can hinder their ability to perform on the job. If a patient suffers from four or more symptoms on the depressive syndrome list, the eligibility would be met for benefits. Symptoms such as difficulty concentrating or thinking, decreased energy, disturbance of sleep, and Anhedonia are assessed during an evaluation. Bipolar disorder can impact the daily functioning of some patients, making job performance suffer and in some cases may prevent the patient from doing what is expected of them on the job. In certain cases, SSDI has deemed certain patients as Disabled

Here is an explanation of Social Security's five-step process to determine if a bipolar disorder patient qualifies for SSDI: http://www.allsup.com/about-ssdi/ssdi-guidelines-by-disability/bipolar-disorder.aspx

Bipolar disorder (manic depression) can become so incapacitating that work is impossible. Therefore, issues with Social Security Disability arise. Found here are resources and information for navigating the difficult process of applying for and receiving disability: http://bipolar.about.com/od/disabili...Disability.htm