[jtassar93]

I know none of you know me personally so it's harder to give an answer.

I was wondering what careers all of you have while dealing with bipolar? I'm 22 and just starting to think about school so I'm trying to find out what I want to do with my life.

I prefer working alone or as alone as possible, but I'll take any suggestions.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I was an occupational therapist. If I had known I was bipolar and what OT would be like with that condition I would probably have chosen something different. I LOVED what I did but there is a shortage of therapists so I was always working very long hours, responsible for assistants who weren't always very ethical but kept their jobs because there weren't replacements easily available (further stressing me out and then because I don't have the best social skills I had a ton of trouble dealing with them when I knew they were doing things they shouldn't and not listening to me (their supervisor and legally responsible for their work). I did find a niche that worked better for me the last few years but then the last year I worked a new Medicare law made my job about 3 times more difficult and that niche wouldn't have lasted forever even if I hadn't gotten too sick to work.

I don't know what else I would have done. I only considered a few other careers ever and OT was such a good fit for me in many ways. But it was so wrong in many other ways.

There are free online sites that you can use to take career aptitude tests. I haven't used them but my therapist told me they exist.

[Tucson]

I have been on disability for so long that I have had to consider a new career. I decided to try to manage being in the workforce once again. Recently, I have been working to open a home business that will involve some face-to-face with my customer. This has been taking up allot of my time. Once my plans are in place, I will see how it will work out for me. Specifically, I am going to offer fine art printing services along with other related service.

I believe that there is a need for this type of business in my local area. I will also sell some products. This has been taking me several months so far to prepare for and several thousand dollars in expenditures. There is still much to be done. But I think I will be able to moderate my workload through my cycles. This of course means my meds need to work, and I have a very responsive doctor when something does go wrong.

So to recap, I have decided that working at home may be the best for a person like met hat has MI. This approach will also help me to be available for the care of my mother. But setting up a business to make this happen requires allot of time and thought. Still, I am trying to pace myself since there are no actual deadlines.

[Standup2me]

I am an accountant.
I have two degrees and two professional certifications.
I work in the oil patch, and every day we come to work wondering whose is going to be laid
off that day. This recession is killing me, the lack of any sense of stability sends me swinging from one end of the spectrum of manic over to the dead drop of depression
Sometimes I just want to hide

[Ndscisyv]

I'm a underground utility locator. I've worked in numerous other jobs though. This one suits me fine right now. A bit stressful at times but very flexible, work solo most of the time and limited hours during the winter.

[pjcjr77]

I'm an accountant as well. Out of school I went into public, first for a good size regional firm, and then a smaller one. I was laid off from both. My anxiety at the time was very high, and I wasn't doing well.

I passed the CPA exam the first time around, and luckily had enough hours in to get it.

Now I work in the accountanting department of a hospital. It's OK, but I still have issues with anxiety, but it's fairly relaxed. Also their expectations of their employees is pretty low. That said, I still have so many days where I just want to run and hide.

Originally Posted by Standup2me

I am an accountant.
I have two degrees and two professional certifications.
I work in the oil patch, and every day we come to work wondering whose is going to be laid
off that day. This recession is killing me, the lack of any sense of stability sends me swinging from one end of the spectrum of manic over to the dead drop of depression
Sometimes I just want to hide

[Slowbrains]

I'm an engineer, MSc. I've had ups and downs in my career. Being hypomanic definitely helps in many occasions, but i've also sort of burned my self out during couple of more severe hypos. I'm doing mechanical design most of the times and it has some freedom to define pace of my own working so i can somewhat manage it when depressed too.

I have no idea would my career be better or worse if i'd not had BP...

[simplydivine1030]

I work in insurance - do not recommend it. LOL

[WibblyWobbly]

I'm a writer. There are a lot of opportunities to work from home, which is nice, but it requires a high level of concentration and there aren't people to fill in if you're out. Which is why I'm on disability right now. I don't recommend it.

[GoldenSnitch]

I work in a bank. It's okay. But it's hard. I want to be alone and that's impossible when you have to work with clients. I've never had a dream job and don't know what else I'd like to do so this is it for now.

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I have worked many jobs but landed back in IT after a while. I am the Systems Administrator of a fairly large hospital and medical group now. I always shock myself how well I am actually doing for myself. It can be a very stressful job, however my boss knows of my MI and is supportive and allows me what I need.

[tree7car]

I'm an early childhood special education teacher.

It can be a really stressful job, but it is also really rewarding.

I'm BP2, so mania isn't my issue. But dealing with the stress of work, the long hours, the demands, and overwhelming depression can be really difficult.

I'm a self employed carpenter that puts an ad in the paper and goes and do carpentry work for people all by myself for the last 15 years. I have a hard time working around people, at least this way a job lasts several hours to just a week or so, then onto something new. I didn't choose this line of work, it just happen to work out this way.

[scatterbrained04]

I'm a practice manager for a medical group. It can be a VERY stressful job. I have a huge amount of freedom and flexibility with my schedule though. That's not typical for the job I have, so I am incredibly thankful for it. It's not something I'd recommend for someone struggling with bipolar.

[Mr.Arch-Vile]

I have to comment on the working alone part, I don't think that is a realistic. I think you need to know your options and choose a career that is challenging enough that you forget about you even have something wrong with. This is not to say a career will cure you but turn down the volume on all stressors in your life. Think fight club without the multiple personality disorder haha.

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I have been a teacher for 30 years. Absolutely love it, but definitely not a job where I am EVER alone. Actually, I think the fact that I have to stay connected and on my game ALL the time is what has kept me as healthy as I am. Left to my own devices, I would have isolated and completely deteriorated.