It's easy to start feeling like, "What a relief! I finally know what's wrong with me. It's an illness. It's not my fault. Now I want to spread the word and help change the world and its attitude about bipolar! I'll start at work. I'm such a great person and a great worker that they will understand that I can't help this. It's an illness, I'm not bipolar on purpose, and I'm not trying to get attention. But there are laws and they will have to make accommodations for me, but they will be so willing to help me because they HAVE TO. Plus they know me and they'll carry me along the best they can. I'll be fine, so I'll be open and honest and disclose my illness."

Don't fall for it.

Sure there are laws and the ADA.

But why would they want to deal with us? They have enough going on with trying to keep companies going and keep "normal" employees on the right track.

Why would they want to give us a lighter workload? Or a quieter work area? Or more break time to get centered? Or time off to go to the doctor?

What will the "normal" employees say?

They can easily fire you and hang another reason on it other than bipolar.

Keep as much information to yourself as possible.