Hi all!

So due to my enormous passion of giving back and helping others with mental health challenges, I recently took a job as a community health worker. I work in a residential setting serving residents who are transitioning from the state mental hospital to independent living. My facility is in the middle.

I am extremely passionate and enthusiastic about my work. I absolutely LOVE the job, and I really feel I'm making a difference. I have gotten nothing but good feedback from clients, supervisors, and coworkers about the quality of my work.

As I'm sure you all know, every job is demanding and stressful in its own right. As people with bipolar, we must adjust. This particular job is stressful in that work hours are highly irregular and it demands flexibility in availability. This makes the routine that is so crucial for us very difficult to maintain. I get my solid 8 hours of sleep every day, but it's really more like squeezing it in where I can rather than having a set bedtime. I suspect this is the same for those of us who became doctors or nurses and work in a hospital setting, as well as those of us who work "on call." The healthcare/human services fields are notorious for their non-routine nature.

Quitting is not an option. I love my work. My question is, can anyone relate, and if so, how do you manage your bipolar in the face of job stress and irregular hours? How do you manage disruptions to your routine?

Thanks so much.