[Icare dixit]

Have you ever been fired (due to BP)?

I've always been fired. A borderline personality doesn't help. Since mania, mania allowed me to do the job of my bosses, basically. I still think I would have done a better job, but it wasn't mine and what I was paid to do.

Creativity isn't valued as much as obedience and "productivity", generally.

People should be paid to do good.

[leejosepho]

My abilities, not my mania, were what could have "allowed me to do the job of my bosses" or even better, then my mania was what caused trouble for myself and others when I could not properly deal with the fact that the work assigned to my boss "wasn't mine and what I was paid to do."

Creativity isn't valued as much as obedience and "productivity", generally.

That can often be the case for jobs on the production floor in manufacturing where creativity is assigned to efficiency experts...and interestingly, it is the manic who would/could actually have trouble in either position.

[Icare dixit]

Ok, my mania was a/the problem as well. By definition, but not per se. And it would probably have escalated as much if I were the boss (as it happens now I am, technically). But maybe not.

But mania is an ability. In essence it's good, in practice often bad (arguably; maybe in the greater scheme of things it isn't).

Interesting.

[Ocean Swimmer]

I've mostly been self employed. When I was 15 I worked as a cashier. It was torturous standing in one place all day.
Then in college I worked in a fancy hotel as a cocktail waitress. Great money. Then in a manic rage I quit my job one night.
I also worked in a friends restaurant. Not as much money but close to home and I was still in University.
Then the rest of my career either independent contractor (selling new homes) still I had problems with quitting when in episode. I make impulse decisions when I'm manic.
Then own businesses. A wallpaper installation company that did well.
Bought and sold fixer uppers before it was all the rage.
Did Real Estate Staging. ( added touches to homes for sale or rental apartments. Once my friend ( an apartment manager) had an apartment that she couldn't rent for months. I staged it for a favor. She had a gas man come that day. He saw it after I fixed it up. Recommended it to brother and she rented it next day. Her owner owns 5 big apartment complexes and wanted a contract with me.
Right now I'm working on busting out of this low energy mood. When I do I'm going to design a new combo tile and granite floor for new house under construction. Then finish the kitchen.
I've got 2 major renovation projects on hold in CA. I'm so far behind. But being ip is worse.

I just can't hold down a job. I have gone through 42 jobs in 35 years. I haven't lost any of them but the pattern is that I convince myself that will happen and sabotage myself by quitting before my employer has the chance to let me go. Between mania and anxiety I get myself so worked up that I sure it was affecting my coworkers and threatened my otherwise good performance. I have been on disability the last 3.5 years.

[CloserToTheMid]

I disclose nowadays that Bipolar was added to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under that they can't just fire you for behavior related to Bipolar. I just started a job this summer. On my first day I went to HR about it.

It's a damn miracle that I haven't though.

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

Ok...

But mania is an ability. In essence it's good, in practice often bad (arguably; maybe in the greater scheme of things it isn't).

Interesting.

Agreed all-around. Someone once described me as "a driven man", and today I am still grateful for that particular attribute or whatever it is and even if/when someone might attribute it to so-called "mental illness". One general manager used to negatively call me a "Prima Donna" in spite of the fact (or possibly because) I had been hired to be "creative" beyond his own abilities...and then at the last job I ever had prior to disability retirement, I always had "free reign" as long as a given budget could be justified in the immediate or at least speculatively. I do not know whether that employer ever realized he was at times trusting my ability to come through while I was only hoping to be able to do so there in his shop that I occasionally viewed as a playground, but maybe there is where my being driven as I am truly made a/the different.

I've quit in manic rages before and I've been fired for not showing up due to depression

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by CloserToTheMid

I disclose nowadays that Bipolar was added to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under that they can't just fire you for behavior related to Bipolar.

Originally Posted by escapeartist

I've quit in manic rages before and I've been fired for not showing up due to depression

I once had a boss call and tell me to not show up again until I knew I could get along with a certain co-worker who was the actual problem, then I was fired for following those instructions the next day and asking to be shown how getting along could be made possible.

I've never been fired. I quite a few jobs years ago due to depression. My last job tried to fire me when my FMLA ran out but I still had doctors notes saying I was too sick to work so I threatened to sue them if they marked it down as being fired. I said "you can't fire me for being sick when every review I've gotten for 11 years has been glowing....it might be legal but sure isn't ethical" and they made a new term for letting me go that wasn't being "fired". So I can still claim I was never fired but they did try.

Working while sick is very hard so my heart goes out to anyone who is doing it. Being fired is low blow when it's done because of illness. (((Hugs)))

[Miss Laura]

My latest job I was sacked on "ill health grounds" they said they didn't know how to handle me despite me working for them for 4 years and had just been promoted. I worked in mental health ironically

[dillpickle1983]

I've been canned from every job I ever had sans my first job. I think being BPD and Bipolar at the same time attributed to my dismissals. I once lied to my employer that my brother was KIA in Afghanistan. Not sure where it came from, but I did it. I seem to have a problem with lying when it comes to work. I'm on SSDI now so I don't have to worry about it. I think I get manic, super emotional and instead of admitting that I am sick, I lie to get out of work. I am really ashamed about it but its water under the bridge at this point.

[AlittleUnsteady]

I've never been fired, but I'm still young. This is my first "grown up" job. Ironically, it feels like middle school. Before I got put on the right medication, my friend would tell me how people would call her to come and get me because I was being annoying. I was apparently talking a lot and really fast. I do remember going like crazy at work, people would refer to me as the energizer bunny. There were also people who tried to start things and went to our boss, saying I did and said things that never happened. That led to being pulled in the office many times and being accused of things. They just made their minds up before talking to me that I did it. My boss found out I was bipolar and after that, it felt like she tried everything she could to get rid of me. Because of her I had to go inpatient. HR knows about all my diagnoses. They ask you everything medical and you have to answer. Part of the cons of working in the medical field. Maybe it's protecting me too? Because now, they can't just fire me without some consequences.

[JustJace2u]

After my recent hospitalization a few weeks ago I went straight back to work without any extra time off. I walk into the office every day fearing that it may be my last day because of my health issues. Aside from the MI issues I do have other health issues that have caused me to miss time from work. I too work in the healthcare field so it feels a little awkward at times, although I have told some of the people I work with what happened a few weeks ago.

[raspberrytorte]

I've never been fired. I had to quit my last job. I miss the place and wish I could go back!!

Even if it was horrible.

[Moose72]

Twice I've gotten "you're not fired but you can go home now". Wtf??

[hopeless2015]

I didn't get fired but ended up on fmla because I was missing so much time, it was fmla or get written up and eventually fired....opened my eyes!!

[BipolaRNurse]

I've been sent home because of mania that was out of control and I was behaving inappropriately. I've also been fired---twice---because my employers "couldn't" give me reasonable accommodations to help me stay employed. Businesses are businesses (even healthcare!) and they all have offices full of lawyers who know ways to get around the Americans with Disabilities Act. I'm on SSDI now so I don't have to worry about it anymore, but if I were ever to get a job again I would never disclose my BP.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

Have you ever been fired (due to BP)?

I've always been fired. A borderline personality doesn't help. Since mania, mania allowed me to do the job of my bosses, basically. I still think I would have done a better job, but it wasn't mine and what I was paid to do.

Creativity isn't valued as much as obedience and "productivity", generally.

People should be paid to do good.

I lost my last two jobs from my mood swings and now I'm going for social security. And I have BPD as well. When I lost my jobs it was a huge hit to my psyche. I felt useless and got depressed. I can't think about going through that again. I understand what you're going through.

[Wander]

I have never been fired but have had to resign due to being unable to continue working with my mental illness issues. The job i have had the last three years I have always taken time off sick when really unwell so my behaviour isn't noticed by colleagues etc. As I am casual I can take time off whenever, to a point. I am a great worker when well so I think that is why they have put up with my many absences. My boss now knows I have mental illness issues (but not which ones) and is supportive. By the time I go back to work in January I will have had 2 months off. Thankfully there is a shortage of staff in the area I work in so I am not replaceable at present.

[wildflowerchild25]

I wasn't exactly fired - just not asked to return. I was working as a camp counselor. It was my sixth summer with the camp. It was right after I had been dx'ed and I was struggling with severe depression and a possible mixed episode. I ended up telling the owner of the camp everything, that I had been dx'ed bp, what I was suffering with at the moment. He seemed supportive. Then I ended up in the hospital the second week of camp. I was unable to return to camp that summer as I had to do a php dbt program. I apologized, I said I'd love to come back next year, he said don't worry about it, he'd see me next year when I was feeling better.

They usually send out letters in October inviting you back for the following summer. Well it was about mid November and I realized I'd never gotten a letter. By January I realized I wasn't going to get a letter. Five years of hard work, where I won employee of the week every year, and I have one bad summer and that's it for me. And I'm not even that mad because I understand, I did bail out in the middle of the summer and they had to find coverage for me, but it was the way he did it that bothers me to this day. I was a dedicated employee. He should have called or emailed me to let me know he wasn't going to rehire me and the reason why. He never did. He just forgot about me.

Every once in awhile I get emails about "alumni" events and the anger starts all over. I'll never go back there and I will certainly never send my kid to that camp. I won't discourage anyone else from doing so but I personally won't have anything to do with it anymore.

[emgreen]

In the last years of my working career I lost several jobs due to depression & mania. Years ago I was able to compensate better, but as the years passed I became less able to do so. I'm now on disability...which makes me feel like crap, but even volunteer work hasn't worked out for me because of my deep depressions during which I isolate almost entirely. I sometimes kick myself for using bipolar disorder as an excuse, but I have to learn to accept things for what they are. The shame, however, is hard to shed.

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by emgreen

Years ago I was able to compensate better, but as the years passed I became less able to do so. I'm now on disability...which makes me feel like crap...
I have to learn to accept things for what they are. The shame, however, is hard to shed.

I had sensed my declining employability along the way, and today I humbly accept the fact that the income I have for food, shelter, internet and such actually comes from deductions from the paychecks of other people. Maybe I am missing something in what you have shared, but I find no shame in any of that even though I have never done anything to actually deserve it.