[fingers1]

How do you manage to hold down a job with Bipolar ?

your thoughts please

fingers1

[Moreta]

I found the least stressful job I could find and take my meds every day. Helps if you enjoy the work too.

[Fireworks22]

It's a challenge but I agree taking med school and find a job that is not stressful something you like to do helps. I am new here

[wildflowerchild25]

I have no idea how I've held down my job. I've always had a job, since I was 17. I've only been let go once. I've taken many medical leaves. In fact I just returned to work yesterday after a three month absence. I guess I just compartmentalize. I'm able to shut off my suffering when I'm at work. At least I'm able to make it until break time and then I break down. and then I pull it together again when break is over. I'm just used to hiding my pain, been doing it for my whole life.

Sorry, I'm sure that's not helpful.

[gayleggg]

One day at a time and sometimes not very well. I recently retired due to stress at work being a negative on my condition, but I have worked for years and managed to do a pretty good job. Some days were not easy and I skated by. Even though there were four hospitalizations needed through out the years.

[Gray Rider]

I'm finding it harder as time goes by. I tried changing jobs and moving a lot to feel better with no luck. I always seem to burn out within a year. One job lasted only a week.

[Resident Bipolar]

I haven't been able to yet but I believe I should be able to eventually. It's a matter of correctly managing and treating the underlying condition whilst also settling into a job that can fit around the illness without complicating it further. It might not be all about the job we most wish to have but rather finding a job your comfortable in whilst also being suitable for the condition you have and the needs you need meeting.

Even people without mental illness can struggle to hold down multiple jobs, especially when they 1. Don't know which path they wish to follow and 2. Are unable to find a job that they feel comfortable in.

[Curious651]

I agee with gay leg. One day at a Time and sometimes one hour at a time. Worked my whole life and really not sure how well I would do without the job. Too much time in my head and I am really screwed. Don't mean to be rough, but that how I feel. I need work to be distracted and feel someone productive to my self. I constantly gage my mood and thoughts. I also ask ppl to check my irrational thoughts at times. Yes, I have them like everyone else. I adjust as needed and do best I can. Not sure this helps you, but that is my thoughts.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I get stressed out by little things in life. the thought of a job right now freaks me out

[prepsychmel]

My work history isn't great. Mostly retail jobs. I just get so overwhelmed that I just can't take it anymore and I quit. Now that I"m done with college, I need to get a "big girl" job and am stressing about that.

[Mrs. Mania]

[QUOTE=Gray Rider;4196575]I'm finding it harder as time goes by. I tried changing jobs and moving a lot to feel better with no luck. I always seem to burn out within a year. One job lasted only a week.[/QU





I usually last a year and a half.

[Eva33]

I work for a very small law firm. It's just me, the paralegal, and my boss, the attorney. The office is located in his house on a separate level from where he actually lives. I've been here 5 years and over those years, I've come to see my boss and his wife as family. They know everything about what is going on with me, and since I don't drive, they take me to therapy and to the pdoc. I'm very grateful for their help and understanding.

It didn't happen right away. I didn't even know I had BP until many years into my job here. But they were always there to help me from day one.

I really lucked out. I know how lucky I am.

[newtothis31]

It helps to find something that relates to your interests- I work in Recruiting and I love the challenge of finding the right people for the jobs that I'm assigned to. Some days can be stressful, but I like that my job gives me a creative outlet.
But if you find something that is connected to what you love- whether its animals, helping other people, reading- then it can be possible.
I've been at my job for five years and it's given me a great sense of stability even when other aspects of my life aren't going so well.
What do you enjoy doing?

[LDB1]

I have to work. I think too much and worry and stress and generally go a little nuts if I don't. My job allows me to be by myself most of the day. otherwise I'd probly strangle someone

[Crazy Hitch]

Unfortunately my experience isn't a happy one.

But remember this is just my experience.

Many Bipolar people certainly can and are successful in their careers.

I've been fired / dismissed 3 times.

Currently unable to teach due to some destruction at my last school that I can't bounce my way out of or undo, right now anyway.

So.

I'm unemployed.

However, I've recently started my own business in the interim as I could not find a teaching job this year.

From a mental health point of view I can't disregard the fact that at some time, at some stage, I would like to re-enter the teaching profession.

[Love&Toil]

I try to make sure my self-care is half decent and do something that I love. I have been doing it for a long time and it helps to have something very familiar I can move in and out of when I am going through a struggle. I work in a unionized environment and it helps that there are supports in place for time away from work as needed. I have never needed to take long blocks of time at once but do have regular absences due to fatigue, exhaustion and mood/PMDD.

Years ago I challenged myself to try out for the job I am doing now.I had anxiety attacks for months daily while I got used to the job. I am so glad I pushed myself to do something that I knew I was capable of doing, while struggling with severe anxiety. In those days, I used to listen to taped relaxation scripts on the way to work, at work, and on the way home from work. I did yoga and relaxation at home. It was a very hard time but I was without children then and could do those things. I was not on meds in those days. I don't think I could do it now.

[THE16THDOCTOR]

It's tough. I have to keep to a rigid schedule that cannot be broken. Pill box, time schedule, it's like having another full time job. I actually work as a mental salty social worker. The biggest issue I deal with is my anxiety which can become super intense (my meds make my mania and depression even toned) I've had to call out a bunch bc of symptoms and that pisses everyone off (I don't disclose my illness). It's a struggle at times but it can be done. It took awhile to get to this point though as I'd **** around w my meds in the last and get manic quitting jobs or getting fired.

[Mimielam]

I worked many years at the same place, while going to night school. Once I got my diploma, since there where no advanced opportunities at that job, I left and tried other places but I never really felt stable, never really had the same advantages or security. I liked working in the community field but there is no job security and the salary's are often lower than the private or public sector..Anyways, after a long sick leave, I went back to school to get another diploma in something less stressfull, less demanding where I was told steady jobs would be available. Took me a while but I found a job, I'm only a replacement staff, but one day eventually I may have a permanent full time position. I have some kind of stability and security and that helps...support from my family, my PDOC, therapy, friends. Some days are hard at work because when I'm feeling well, I find it boring there is no place for initiate and creativity or leadership..I feel like an ant working on a chain..other days when I'm not feeling well..this is good for me..cause I do the same thing all the time for a week than change to another work plan...often I ask myself why I'm there and tell myself I could do better than this..It's hard, My motto now is go to work, take you're pay, shut you're mouth, don't get involved more than you half too....at home I dream up all the wacky and fun stuff I could be doing..some day who knows.

[jacky8807]

Im a nurse and its very stressful at times. Ive had to take mloa while in the hospital a well
But for me i am much better off working. Too much free time would be a disaster for me
I cant do overtime or night shifts. .

[jacky8807]

Theres no way i could survive on disability either.

[gloamingone]

For me, the magic number was eight months. I'd lose it at work and couldn't continue, so I'd move on to the next job. Eventually it got worse, to the point I could only work part-time. Like 10 hours a week. Then THAT got to be too much, and I haven't worked since May 2013. Any time I get in a situation where someone has expectations of me, I'm completely convinced I'll fail. It's horrible, especially because I have an MBA. What a waste of an education. Ok, now I officially feel like crap. :-(

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ruftin]

I use avoidance. I try to stay away from all of my co-workers, keep my head down and just focus on my clients. It's getting harder to do though as some co-workers in this day & age are just plain disrespectful & obnoxious and in your face & you just want to come back at them with every thing in you. I've had two slip ups, one the end of last year which got me reported to the highest supervisor, and one this year. I think my days are numbered. I've been @ this job for 28 years. I'm already planning for the future. I would rather retire than be fired.

[Desafinado]

A few ways:

- first, focus on your health until you are as stable as you're going to get. This means eating right, exercising, not doing drugs, minimal alcohol, good mix of meds, and so on. The goal here is to get to a stage of life where bipolar isn't really that big of a problem.

- second, find a job with a stress level that you can handle based on how stable you are. If a job is outside of your limits, it won't work.

- three, remember that work experience, even if slightly painful, builds character and strength, and that if you take a new job you will become better at it, and more adapted to it

On the whole it's better to push your boundaries within reason, but know your limits.

[Curiosity77]

I almost always have worked, with the exception of a couple of times when things have been very bad so i took a year off once, and 6 months another time, and an occasional few days here and there. I tend to feel better when i'm working if i am depressed because it gets me out of my thoughts. For some reason i can make myself concentrate at work at times that i can't focus on anything else. When my mood is elevated it's harder to work, but i can usually keep it together, although coworkers tend to ask questions about if i'm ok. I don't work if i'm sick enough to not be able to focus or think clearly, because my job is in health care, and i don't do anything that could put patients at risk. I don't know how i do it, i just keep going and doing my best. I've managed to create a good career, but i am aware that it could all be a house of cards.

[Ruftin]

Originally Posted by Curiosity77

I almost always have worked, with the exception of a couple of times when things have been very bad so i took a year off once, and 6 months another time, and an occasional few days here and there. I tend to feel better when i'm working if i am depressed because it gets me out of my thoughts. For some reason i can make myself concentrate at work at times that i can't focus on anything else. When my mood is elevated it's harder to work, but i can usually keep it together, although coworkers tend to ask questions about if i'm ok. I don't work if i'm sick enough to not be able to focus or think clearly, because my job is in health care, and i don't do anything that could put patients at risk. I don't know how i do it, i just keep going and doing my best. I've managed to create a good career, but i am aware that it could all be a house of cards.

Oh Curiosity, I'm right there with you, in that house of cards. My Dr. said I compartmentalize my job well and some how keep it separate from my life but I have found myself with a shorter and shorter fuse these days. Not with my patients but with my co-workers. I was reported for snatching a piece of paper out of a coworkers hand a few weeks ago. In 26 years I've never done that or been put on report. I'm afraid of what I'll do next as I cannot predict the actions of my BiPolar self when it follows me to work.