[momofboys321]

This may be a weird question, but is it hard for you to keep a job when your bipolar. I know that I can keep a job for about 6 months, but that's it. After that the boss gets tired of me and lets me go. Maybe because sometimes I'm on time and do a great job at work, but then all of a sudden I call in or I'm late and lackadaisical. I don't know just wondering if it was my work ethic or bipolar. Thanks!

[LoneRose]

well i dont know if i am bipolar yet but i have the same problem as you. I cant concentrate for very long and daydream a lot. I get depressed or bored and then just up and leave... Very frustrating!!!
I dont do anything now and have no idea how to get started

[momofboys321]

Originally Posted by LoneRose

well i dont know if i am bipolar yet but i have the same problem as you. I cant concentrate for very long and daydream a lot. I get depressed or bored and then just up and leave... Very frustrating!!!
I dont do anything now and have no idea how to get started

I think that sometimes I get sort of paranoid tendencies. When a group of people are together laughing and I don't know what they said, it is immediately about me. This affects my work because I think that no one likes me. The logical me knows that the chances of them actually talking about me are slim, but the thoughts till rush through my head. I end up getting so nervous that I quit, or it affects my work so much that I get fired. I don't know what to do.

[Direction]

It is possible...just like we all experience the symptoms differently...we will experience the effect at work differently...

I've been in the same industry about 17 years...although when you average it out...it is about 2 1/2 years per company

It's tough...no one else can understand the struggle and pain we go through to come to work everyday...the ups and downs...ugh

I do enjoy what I'm doing and being salaried has its advantages on an up/down/mixed day...I would imagine I wouldn't do so well if I punched a clock...as I got up late this morning as I was "up" working until 3 a.m. on a project...

I hope that gives you some comfort and by the way welcome to PC...If you can provide more details either in the thread or by PM...I may be able to be more helpful...I think...I am in a position of "senior" authority and over the years hired/terminated people...might be able to help with resumes, interviewing, taking criticism...it might help change direction.

[momofboys321]

Thanks Direction. I'll do that as soon as I have 5 posts, lol.
Holly

[bexter]

Originally Posted by momofboys321

This may be a weird question, but is it hard for you to keep a job when your bipolar. I know that I can keep a job for about 6 months, but that's it. After that the boss gets tired of me and lets me go. Maybe because sometimes I'm on time and do a great job at work, but then all of a sudden I call in or I'm late and lackadaisical. I don't know just wondering if it was my work ethic or bipolar. Thanks!

It's very hard for me to keep a job because I'm also a seriously destructive binge-drinker. BPD by itself probably hasn't hurt me, but in recent years I've supported myself (barely) as a freelance writer and editor, so I haven't had to keep regular hours or present myself anywhere.

[agony007]

welcome to pc. i am sorry you are having a rough time with work. it can be very stressful. i use to work from home, and as i got worse, it became almost impossible to get any work done, especially when depressed. now i work at a regular job, have a regular salary, and though some days it is difficult for me and i lack motivation, i've been okay so far. are you on any meds? are you seeing a psychiatrist and/or psychologist? hope things improve for you, keep us posted.

-agony

[momofboys321]

Originally Posted by agony007

are you on any meds? are you seeing a psychiatrist and/or psychologist? hope things improve for you, keep us posted.

I am not on meds. I have self diagnosed myself bipolar, but it run rampant through my family so I'm like 90% sure. I know all the symptoms and how things go. I go to a psychiatrist on Thursday to get blood work done and take a psychiatric evaluation test. Sound kind of scary, lol. I just want to get this taken care of before my kids get old enough to say "wow, mom's crazy", lol. Thanks for all your help!

Holly

[helley]

Hi momofboys

I also have had difficulty at work...particularly (as with last month when I first joined this forum ) when I'm in a really bad depression....I am only just coming out of it but I still find whether I'm "stable" or not I struggle with concentration and fatigue. I get easily distracted whereas years ago I was a much more focused person. I used to have a very high powered job as an Executive Assistant to a CEO but now I've downsizing to less stressful jobs.

Hopefully this might work for you....but I do think there is some merit to the thought that BP can affect your work performance and you need to adjust what you do (ie: less stressful) to accommodate for this..Good luck - happy to talk if you need to.
Helley

[Thomi]

Originally Posted by momofboys321

This may be a weird question, but is it hard for you to keep a job when your bipolar. I know that I can keep a job for about 6 months, but that's it. After that the boss gets tired of me and lets me go. Maybe because sometimes I'm on time and do a great job at work, but then all of a sudden I call in or I'm late and lackadaisical. I don't know just wondering if it was my work ethic or bipolar. Thanks!

I don't think it's your work ethic at all. I have been diagnosed with bipolar II about a year ago and I struggle to focus and function in my job. Before I was diagnosed with bipolar, I held a steady job for about 5 years. Those 5 years were tough and I did have issues but for some reason I was able to hang in there. I was unemployed for 8 months while I recovered from a really bad depressive episode and then I got my current job. I have only had this job 7 months but I struggle with it. Trying to get up on time when I have been up most of the night, trying to maintain a happy, healthy facade when I'm really freaking out and being present enough to do my actual job are just a few of the issues I struggle with because of my bipolar disorder. Sorry so long. Hope that helps.