Bipolar Disorder in the Workplace
First, please let me apologize for my article being late this time. I received a file that sounded lovely to me....pretty park.exe. Unfortunately beneath that lovely name was hiding a horrible virus that put my computer out of commission for an entire week.
If you should receive this file in your email Do Not Open it...its deadly!!
Colleen
"One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one's work." ~ Tolstoy
Introduction
There is presently no cure for Bipolar Affective Disorder. However, many people who have been diagnosed with this mental illness are able to live normal, functional and fulfilling lives. Many are able to continue to live, work, laugh and love thanks to various treatment options available today. Some adjustments and accommodations may be required, and some hurdles may have to be faced but in many cases working can be the option to chronic and complete disability.
Individuals with Bipolar Disorder can be found working in all career categories from clerks to lawyers, from authors to doctors and in any and every field earning a substantial living. Due to the "creativity" feature of this illness a fair number are artists, poets, writers, pianists, composers theatrics or anywhere in the arts.
Because of the cyclical nature and variable severity of Bipolar Disorder questions arise regularly about this subject. This article is intended to answer some of them.
My Employment
When I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 1978 I was working full time as a bookkeeper in a large auto body repair shop. It was a good position, well paid, but stressful at the time. The two brothers who had owned the business together for nearly twenty years had decided to separate and each build a new shop of their own, adding tremendously to my regular work. When my first episode began with depression that would within a couple of weeks become severe enough for hospitalization I found myself nodding over my work and accomplishing little. When I was admitted to hospital for an eight week stay both of my bosses were very accommodating, assuring me my job was secure and would be waiting for me when I returned. Two weeks after discharge I was back at work (still not fully functional and against my doctor's advice.) The decision about which of the brothers I would work for was left up to me and I made my decision and moved to a brand new office and building. I loved it, but a year after my first hospitalization I was back again and off work this time for four months. Again my boss was accommodating, hiring a temp to take my place. After this I worked for eight years with manageable mood swings and my title was changed to office manager. A flurry of episodes over the next seven years (some very severe) led to my doctor advising...insisting that I file for disability in 1995. I was one of the lucky ones! Even though he may not have completely understood all the time my boss recognized that I had an illness and went out of his way to accommodate both it and me!
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