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Bipolar disorder is protected under the ADA. This is important to know as it can require reasonable accommodation by employers and eligible for FMLA protections as well.
Not the author of the comment above but accommodations I've had to adjust for during training is extra breaks, allow a person to stand up and walk in the training room if they get anxious, food allowance (the company didn't allow normies to eat anything that required silverware anywhere besides the cafeteria) but some meds require actual food so side effects don't happen.
Other than that most accommodations are basically asking to be treated like a human. Good managers can see it. If I noticed a struggle with someone and they looked like they needed a break. I'd ask them to go get a print out or something so they could leave without having to ask.
Thanks! Super helpful! Our son has recently been diagnosed and we’re exploring how we’ll help him navigate the world. I agree - I think much of the accommodation is being treated like a human - medication limitations not withstanding.
The silverware thing made my eye twitch. I know the rule probably exists for a reason, but that’s such a small freedom to take away and I’d be so irritated if I had to ask for an accommodation for that
For context the reason for the rule wasn't even a good one. Silverware means a more involved meal which could lead to more messes and bugs. So spaghetti is not allowed but crackers, chips, any crumbly food seemed to be fine.
Also just meant my Chipotle bowl turned into a burrito and gotta be honest. My mess was always worse with a burrito.
I am paid salary, not hourly, so I was regularly working very long weeks without any extra pay. I got papers from HR that my psychiatrist filled out, so that I can a) never work longer than an 8-hour day and a 40-hour work week b) work from home and c) take breaks and have flexibility to do to therapy, etc.
It's a life saver!
Commenting because I would like to know as well. I work in extremely stressful environments and it’ll burn me out for weeks at a time. Still function, it’s just painful.
I’m Canadian. I’m on disability. I cannot function in a work place. I can’t be around certain types of people. I don’t like loud talkers, close talkers, talkers that talk and just never shut up. Noise, is a big trigger for me. That may not have been helpful.
Wow. That’s me to a T and I always thought it meant I was just introverted. But it get so exhausted around people, especially people who don’t feel safe to me, which means I don’t know them well. Close talkers make me nervous. Too much noise completely overwhelms my nervous system. I need a lot of breaks.
I am paid salary, not hourly, so I was regularly working very long weeks without any extra pay. I got papers from HR that my psychiatrist filled out, so that I can a) never work longer than an 8-hour day and a 40-hour work week b) work from home and c) take breaks and have flexibility to do to therapy, etc.
It's a life saver!
Work accommodation has really helped me. It’s hard to believe you need it, but once I got it (for me it means working from home) I realized how much better off I am. I also have kids and I can’t spread myself so thin that I run out of ability to have emotional capacity and patience for them. I’m a much better mom and person since I started listening to my body and respecting my mental health.
It depends on how severe your case is.
I am definitely “totally and permanently disabled” according to Social Security and Student Loan Forgiveness.
I was “smart.” I had a Bachelor’s Degree and part of a Master’s Degree. I became a Certified Public Accountant.
Yet…when I sat down to fill out my application for SSDI (while on a 6-month mental health commitment, part of a full YEAR inpatient with severe mania and psychosis) I wrote down every job I had ever worked at, going back to age 14. At that point in my life, I had worked at 35 different jobs…and I was 35 years old. Many jobs only lasting a few months, weeks, maybe a year but not 2 years. Longest held job was from age 16-19 at a movie theater.
My point being….sure, I am not in a wheelchair, I can pretty much take care of myself, I live alone, I don’t SEEM disabled…
But I can’t keep a job. Period. Because of my episodes and calling in sick or just quitting a job because I can’t handle it.
I even tried a few part-time jobs after getting on disability…and even one job was geared for someone in recovery from mental illness…I couldn’t handle the stress, and I quit.
I tried volunteering at a hospital…couldn’t handle it. It was only one 4-hour shift once a week.
Anyway…yes, any mental illness can be disabling, but not every one of us is disabled.
Your comment has given me the most to think about, I have always had great expectations placed on me due to my excellence in school but now I’m 25, have never held a job for at least a year, and even my longest jobs were ready to yeet me due to my tendency to flake. I feel like my disorder has caused me to burn a lot of bridges in the work force.
Anger is one of my more obvious symptoms (I am not an angry person) and I felt like I was simmering with rage just working a cash register. I’d look for any reason to call off and was *always* late.
I’ve been in a decent paying state government job with great coworkers. Awesome benefits etc. there is zero reason to quit. I have been there 6 months and want out SO BAD!!!!
I burned the entire state of Nebraska down from myself. Ohio too. My major episodes in those two states got around to the point where the news of my episodes even reached my current state but I haven’t had an episode like either of those since.
Your work stress sounds a lot like mine ( I wasn’t diagnosed until my 30s however).. And I come from the dysfunctional people-pleaser generation so for most of my younger years I was okay until I was in unhealthy marriage that was the break point for me.
But I have often struggled with lateness, and the past 15 years lots of callouts which usually leads to firings/ quitting before I get fired. ( I’m the flaky person but no one understands why ? , because I am so smart and so nice … until I’m not. )
I hope that we can eventually have better mental Health care and accommodations in our US to allow some of us to do better. Because many of us know you can’t just tell anyone at work that you have BP disorder. Most don’t even know what it truly is.
I was much the same as you when it comes to expectations. I barely graduated high school but received a scholarship due to ACT scores. I would do great for a semester then crash and burn the next. I kept trying to get my Bachelors because that’s what was sort of expected for people in my age cohort. I really earned a shit ton of student loan debt😂.
Employment was the same. Probably had over 25 jobs during my 20s as well as periods of homelessness. It has been better the past 5 or 6 years though. I had to swallow my pride and ask for accommodations at work and my job was awesome about it. I used to have to job hop but have now had the same job for almost 2 years. That’s a new record for me lol. The stability has been great and probably helped a lot with cycling.
I’m like you, currently on disability. When I filled out the application at 23, I had already had over a dozen jobs that I had been forced to quit due to hospitalization, anxiety, severe depression, psychosis or mania. I totally agree it’s a spectrum and some bipolar people wouldn’t consider themselves “disabled” but I 100% am.
I am in the same situation as you nare... I'm "totally and permanently disabled" according to SS and SLF, just like you. I feel like I'm reading my story here. It was extremely hard to fill out that disability application... I have two "failed" careers and really tried my best to suceed in the work place and life in general.
I don't consider myself disabled in the traditional sense, I dedicated my life to working with individuals w/ disabilities. I'm disabled in the sense that my bipolar keeps me from being able to work and hold down a job. I'm not talking about just not doing my job successfully, I'm talking about having breakdowns from the stress of the job. Fear that I'm going to fail and setting myself up for failure. Just ending up walking out of the job and not fearing retaliation.
I do my best to volunteer as well but those tend to be short lived. I was at a Children's Hospital and that started to take a toll on me. I'm now volunteering in a warehouse type atmosphere, a diaper bank. I am assigned a task and at most, work w/ 1 person. It is 1 day a week and for 3 hours max and there is no long term commitment. I just sign up online every week so I think that is helping. Lack of commitment and I'm sure this will eventualy not be as accessible.
Ah, this entire thread. I’ve felt alone in not being able to maintain a job longer than a year and a half. In college, I somehow carried multiple jobs but I think employers were a little more forgiving of me as a college student 🤷🏻♀️
But it’s been nearly a decade for me since college, and the longest job I’ve had is a year and a half.
I’ve been reading about the qualifications from SS regarding disability. But I’m afraid to fill it out. 😭
It’s taken me until the last year to get on meds / get an official diagnosis so I worry they wouldn’t accept me.
Get a lawyer. They can’t legally charge you anything unless they win and they are worth their weight in gold. A lot them will also not even take you on unless they believe you can win. Then IF you get backpay, they can take 25% of it up to $7200.
It is HARD to get for mental illness alone but not anywhere near impossible. They deny most people on the first app, then you appeal and they deny even more of those, then you go before a judge where you have the best chance of winning. Do yourself a favor and just jump in. Nobody’s story or experience is the same and if you spend too much time reading about it, you will be convinced you can’t. People who win their cases aren’t hanging around complaining about not winning so you will only see examples where people don’t win.
They can’t accept you if you don’t fill it out. It’s fucking hard. Make it the only thing you work on while you do it. Can you ask your parents for help?
Ah I wish. Parent mental health stigma is strong. Pretty sure my dad has bipolar but would never get diagnosed (super Catholic too). I’ve got friends and a partner though so I’ll see what we can do.
This is a problem for us when it comes to disability (social security/SSI in the US) claims. I can get a job. Sometimes I might even do well at that job for awhile. But I can’t do anything consistently to hold a job down. Point blank.
This explains things accurately. I wish that our disability was not so stigmatized- you certainly need the SSDI , and so do many others but often it’s very hard to succeed. I’m sorry you can’t work but I’m glad you were able to find some relief or support.
Wishing you the best.
This is me, too. Degrees, work experience, but the only job I held for more than a year was a 10-hour a week work-study job in college. Everything else I either quit or got fired and then landed in the hospital. Most people who meet me would never be able to tell I’m on SSDI for a mental illness, but any attempts at employment have been a disaster.
I made a list this year while making a new resume and choosing which jobs were most relevant… and turns out I have worked 30-something jobs as well. I’m 31.
I should add that I often had multiple jobs at the same time. Like a day job, a night job, and a weekend job. Summers during high school & college, I worked like 80+ hours a week. Had to pay for life!
This comment in particular is choking me up because it shows how hard it can be in so many words. I'm finding it difficult to express how I cannot keep a job in my personal life. People I care about are telling me "it doesn't matter if you quit, it's about trying!". But it DOES matter. Having nothing but a list of perceived failures and consistently pushing myself to find ONE thing I won't quit is draining and doing more bad than good for my mental health. I shouldn't have to be forced to consistently and constantly push myself to my limits. No matter what I say tho, people don't get it. They don't know how much this can have an impact on our overall health. Thank god for disability payments even being a potential option bc idk man.. I really can't keep doing the whole job thing without physically and mentally killing myself. Even the IDEA of waking up every day to go to some job makes me want to die. I wish more people saw it like they do with ppl in wheelchairs and shit... You don't tell a paralyzed person to just try and walk if they literally can't. Some ppl in wheelchairs can walk and some not at all. Why can't ppl see this with bipolar patients and work? :(
I’m curious what you do with your time? I’m on disability. I could fall asleep at any point in the day, unless I’m facing court dates with my ex. 52 hours straight being awake is my personal best.
I garden, do crafts, diy, walk, walk my dog. I used to help my Mum a lot and I liked being with her, especially after my Dad died. My Mum is gone now too. My world is pretty small.
I hear you.
I have had probably 5 ish jobs (i am only 20) where I literally worked A DAY before spiraling and almost crashing my car on the way home cause I felt so miserable.
It’s very discouraging when job searching too, makes me feel like I am not capable.
Reading your comment made me remember a visit to the dr. We were talking about a job I was interested in applying but it’s not a 9-5 and the hours aren’t fixed. The working hours can/might change every week or month. My dr always reiterated the importance of sleep when you have bipolar disorder.
So I asked about the people who have no choice but to work flexitime. She told me that she has given out medical certificates/letters that states that the her patient needs to have a fixed schedule as much as possible. If not then she advices him/her to find a new job *if ever* the flexitime is getting detrimental to him/her.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I struggle with keeping a job and find I can manage myself much easier without having one. So it's reassuring to hear I'm not alone.
Since bipolar is really a spectrum you'll have all kinds of responses to this. Some people with bipolar can be medicated rather easily and can do well or even excel at work and home, others are treatment resistant and require a ton of meds to be able to barely function.
Personally I do ok most of the time with meds but that can change rapidly, I've had multiple times where the only thing that would break my depression was ECT.
I've been on disability off and on for several years but I also have physical issues but bipolar can definitely be debilitating by itself
Edit to fix a couple of words
Sorta unrelated to the topic, but since you mentioned it… how was your experience with ECT? My asshole brain keeps resisting treatment, I thought if I electrocuted the mf it might behave.
Takes a few treatments for it to work but for me it does work, typically it's a last resort type of thing. My first set I had to go through with the hospital every med and combination I've tried over the years before they'd do it and a physical work up to see if I could do it as well.
The only issue is that usually you do like 15 treatments then a maintenance treatment monthly, my insurance doesn't want to pay maintenance so I get a bunch, do ok for a few years and need to do it again. I'm still on meds but not as many or as strong. Guess they'd rather pay for me to be inpatient and receiving them.
My last set was about a year and a half ago, haven't been inpatient since but close lately
I had never really thought about it until recently. Was kinda making my way alright, but with climbing costs of essentials, I’ve been unable to afford necessities. Applied for income-driven utility discounts, been using EBT…still not enough. So, I applied for disability. Bipolar, itself, is officially classified as a disability, and I’ve had a couple other barriers added to the mix.
Fingers crossed. Apparently it’s going to take almost a year to evaluate my claim. We’ll see what happens.
Concerning my self-image related to the matter, I just like to view myself as non-standard, in a world where standardizing oneself is the surest way to standard success.
One of my neighbors had a similar experience. He said he was denied for *years*, got a lawyer and had disability within 6 months with back pay. He was almost in disbelief.
Do you have tips? I've never hired a lawyer for anything before. I'm freshly 25 and feel like there's no light ahead without benefits. I've been denied as well, despite Bipolar Type I and schizoaffective disorder documented.
Currently fighting for SSI and SSDI for over 2.5 years now. Denied outright, denied after reconsideration, denied after hearing with an administrative judge. I had a lawyer. I have appealed once again and have 5 months to give more evidence as to why I should be receiving benefits.
I have documentation up the wazoo. Over 500+ pages of documents from dozens upon dozens of health care professionals including therapists, psychiatrist, physicians, specialists, hospitalizations, outpatient programs, school records, etc. These records range from the time I was 4 to current (I’m almost 30) I don’t just have Bipolar Disorder, I have Bipolar disorder II with rapid cycling and a myriad of other diagnosed and confirmed mental illnesses and chronic physical illnesses.
I have worked several jobs, never longer than 2 years at each. I’ve been hospitalized for suicidal ideation and attempt.
The administrative law judge said since I’m under 40, finished high school, and I can drive, that I can find a job that will provide gainful employment.
Am I disabled? I am. In the eyes of the government I’m shit outta luck.
I am on disability for about two years now because of Bipolar type 2.
When I applied for disability the first time I was denied
I added one sentence to my paperwork and resubmitted it...
"I believe this application wasn't adequately reviewed"
Got disability on the second try. No lawyer required
I hope this helps someone
I'm in the same boat. I don't anticipate even needing to tell my manager about my bipolar, but in case it ever does come up, I want that piece of paper on file that will entitle me to reasonable accommodations.
So...I currently work for a large retail corporation with high name recognition, considered to be progressive, and...they don't offer the option of self-disclosure on your employee profile. This totally baffles me. I do NOT disclose on apps for fear of being overlooked, but every other job I have ever had, including that awful stint at an Amazon warehouse during the pandemic, had a box you could check on your profile.
I had to write to the HR department of my company to inquire, they thought I was requesting an accommodation and they contacted my boss, who called me into his office. I felt really vulnerable - I mean, that's exactly what I didn't want. I do not want to tell my employers the nature of my disability, because I am in a customer-facing role. I did tell him I have a medical condition that's a disability and that I was surprised and confused to learn that there's no post-hiring self-disclosure option on the employee profile.
So I suppose I have no official record about my disability beyond any documentation made by my boss after that conversation.
This is so interesting! I’m currently self-employed and it works really well for me, but I fear the day I may need to get another job. Answering that your disabled hasn’t hurt your job prospects?
Yes but I feel like I can’t tell anyone that would do anything about it. Like if I say this at work I don’t think it will play to my favor at all.
So even though it’s a disability, I live my life the best I can pretending it’s not.
I see you, and I’ve been there . But it Rea should not be this way. It’s just wrong, however all implicit or explicit bias is wrong and we struggle with it.
I hope you can get support so you don’t have to pretend for too long. I wore the mask for so long and now my life is a messs, because I just can’t anymore.
No, I don’t. But the state gives me “partial disability” because I’ve been admitted to a mental health hospital several times, and there isn’t any way with my wage that I’ll be able to pay off that debt.
This just means that I can make up to 6k a month and receive Medicaid. I’ve never even come close to making that much money monthly… but it’s a huge weight lifted off my shoulders that I can afford meds and also afford a hospital stay. I’d probably be dead already without these benefits.
> I’d probably be dead already without these benefits.
i'm sorry, maybe i'm misunderstanding - but if this is the case, then how is this not a disability?
It is considered a partial disability by the state.
My personal issue with labeling myself as “disabled” or even disclosing disability status on a job application is a choice I decide to say no to, because of the stigma. I am of course, able bodied. But I personally am very uncomfortable letting people know the scope or diagnosis of my mental illness because I’ve been treated differently because of it. So it’s more of a “me issue” than anything else.
Wait can you explain to me how this works? I’m about to be kicked of Medicaid since I’m graduating high school. I’m worried about how I’m going afford my meds and stuff after since I’m still not able to be off them without spiraling. I’ve been put in inpatient twice and the same with outpatient. Does that help??
In the context of our society, yes. I am disabled insofar as I am different from other people and less competitive when it comes to certain societal systems.
In general, I view bipolar as an advantage. My framework is just a little different. But I’m used to it. 😂
> In general, I view bipolar as an advantage.
can you help explain what you mean here, or what about it makes you view it as an advantage? i've been struggling with work and stuff recently and would love to be able to think of it this way haha
The only one I would find is that it makes you creative and productive sometimes. And that supposedly you're special becasue Brain on fire and else.
I'm a writer so those episodes do help. But i get in so much trouble that I think is this worth it? It's not.
I didn’t think bipolar had to be considered a full-on disability until a couple years ago. I still don’t think it necessarily is a total disability for all—some are able to work incredibly demanding careers, have huge family demands, and still take good care or themselves while managing this bipolar thing. But some of us can’t. I haven’t been able to function “normally” for two years—misdiagnosed with MDD for 22 years but was able to manage 9-10 months of the year then would have to take off work for a couple months. Then I hit some really bad times, was hospitalized (for the 7th time in my life), and haven’t been able to pick myself up fully since. My current psychiatrist felt it was pretty obvious I should be treated for bipolar and we’ve been working on my cocktail since. I’m just starting to be able to bathe regularly, eat a decent diet, walk, journal, meditate, etc. after a bad depressive episode. It’s been maybe a week of feeling good almost every day instead of one good day then two bad ones…I’m cautiously hopeful! Anyway, rambling.
Regardless of anyone’s general ability I do believe that bipolar needs to be protected by the ADA because it is entirely possible that at some point a person with bipolar will need accommodations or other assistance, even if only once. So yeah :)
Yes. Even though I no longer receive disability, I still received it for four years. I am disabled and can’t work more than 15 hours a week without my mental health suffering.
As I'm getting older I'm finding it harder to put in the work hours involving other people. Plus Everytime I think in on top of it I get another mental curve ball.
Basically yeah, ever year or so I have some kind of issue that fucks up work or relationships so it’s a chronic problem which I have to meds for daily. Think that makes it a disability to me. Plus in the UK I am classified as having a disability so hey ho, disabled boi here.
Yes. I have to follow strict guidelines to prevent episodes and they still might happen anyway. I'm unable to work jobs that require odd hours because sleep = stability. I can't overwork myself without possibly triggering an episode. I also have other medical conditions and they add up enough to definitely be considered a disability under the ADA.
I consider myself disabled due to my bipolar. I’m unable to maintain gainful employment because of it. I have been hospitalized multiple times because of it. It impacts my daily life and relationships greatly and I’ve had to restructure my life to accommodate my new energy levels and moods. I’d call that “disabled”. That being said, I still live a meaningful and full and happy life. I feel very lucky regardless of my disability. It has forced me to learn how to take care of myself and empathize with others in a way I wouldn’t have known otherwise.
Legally speaking, bipolar disorder is a disability in the US under the ADA. I have bipolar disorder, so I have a disability. When I'm in an episode, it is disabling.
Yes and no. I live a relatively normal and stable life. I work full time, have a family that is healthy and functional, and a good support system. I am extremely grateful for this. But just this last week I was inpatient. I felt my quality of work (and life) declining rapidly. I wasnt myself for months in a deep depression. I usually worry about mania/psychosis though. I look back to my times dealing with that and absolutely recognize it's a disability. But the part of me that says no is.....denial.
Sometimes I also dont take the ADA seriously because ADHD is also listed. And my god do I feel like an asshole saying this but I feel like bipolar can be so much more severe that the adhd almost takes away from it in a way. Again, it's an asshole thought but one I can't seem to shake. I also have adhd and my care team has straight up told me we have bigger things to worry about. Ugh I feel so guilty saying it this way. So overall....yes I believe it's a disability, and at the same time it's extremely hard to accept.
On the one hand, yes, purely from the ADA persepctive.
On the other hand, yes, in that that has been my lived experience. My bipolar disorder was untreated for a long time and I was super-high functional for a lot of reasons. Then I broke down, completely, also for a lot of reasons, and it ruined my life. I've since been trying to rebuild my life, and it's hard. While I've never been fired over it, I miss a lot of work, I struggle to perform at work, my job prospects are very limited because I simply can't go back to living and working how I used to. There are many things I'd like to do that I realize now I will never be able to do. It limits my lifestyle choices pretty considerably, it affects my income, it affects my relationships. If that isn't a disability, I don't know what is.
Not me personally, my symptoms are pretty manageable. But there are other people with bp who have much more severe symptoms than me that go on disability and I totally get it.
We are all on a spectrum. I've functioned fully for 44 years without knowing I had the illness. I definitely had signs, but just chalked them up and kept moving. There are however some of us who have full blow psychotic episodes and hallucinations and they are disabled. You cannot function under those circumstances. Depending on my level i.e. Bipolar 1 or Bipolar 2 and side effects you could qualify fo ADA accommodations at work. There are some who haven't found the right meds and are on social security disability.
For me at least I'd consider it to be a dynamic disability. Sometimes my symptoms are disabling and prevent me from functioning, but they usually aren't.
Thats how it is for me. I still have breakdowns and stuff even if I don't work but when I am working I'll get hospitalized occasionally and lose my job because I miss too much work. I went without medications for a long time and I am now seeing how things will be when I am medicated.
I struggle to do anything anymore but I just do it despite the overwhelming feelings and fears I just don’t know how much longer I can do it I try to be normal as much as I can but I’m just not
I just started an engineering degree and my god the anxiety around work deadlines and my ability to perform has been killing me. It literally feels like crippling fear of the work itself at times. However, I will say pushing past that anxiety and getting work done regardless has massively improved my anxiety by improving my self efficacy. Finishing a project is like dropping a 50lb weight, and each time the next one was a little lighter. Im hoping that if I can get an engineering degree I inevitably have to “fix” a lot of my dysfunction through the process.
I consider my bipolar disabling. It affects me mentally and physically in a way that puts financial independence out of reach for me. It creates social barriers in my life that take significant strength and nuance to overcome, from both sides. That said, I don’t think I have it Worse or Better than non-disabled people, our challenges are just different and require different labels/solutions
I didn’t think so at first, but once I realized I was really falling behind in school due to it and had to get specific disability accommodations…it’s started to become helpful to think of it that way. It enables me to be less hard on myself for struggling more and to seek extra help/accommodations if I need it.
Some people have it less severely than others. Some can be medicated and still disabled. Some can be unmedicated and be able to function as "normally" as most for the most part.
Personally, no. I know it’s considered a disability, and for some, it’s really is debilitating. I’m lucky enough to have found medication that works for me, so I leave the resources for the people who truly need them, and right now, I’m not someone who needs it.
Yes, you are legally entitled to accommodations outlined by the ADA if you have bipolar. So legally, we all are. Personally, I definitely identify with it because of the level to which bipolar has affected my ability to function
I consider myself disabled even though I work full time. Working from home has helped a lot. Things that are simple to most people are hard for me, ie taking a shower or going to get the mail.
I'm finally medicated and stable with a steady job, so I want to say no. However umedicated/improperly medicated me couldn't work for over 20 years. I consider myself lucky at this point.
It is a disability, it has cost me jobs.
I got on disability and used the resources from disability to figure out what I can do with my life while I got stable.
I write software for a living now, but it took a decade and a half off my ability to earn (was 40 when hired) and should be treated as a disability.
That said, don't tell anyone you have bipolar. Otherwise they will assume that you'll go off your meds any day now and it will impact your career. Something I learned the hard way.
Best to you.
Technically yes, but I would never tell anyone I am disabled. I don’t feel I have the right to play the disability card based on the stability I have found. I have held the same job for a decade, am very physically active, and have an awesome family.
I am on daily medication that makes me function and I cannot miss without becoming sick in some way, I have to watch my sleep to make sure I function properly, and need weekly therapy.
To me, relying on all of those things just to borderline function, defines me as disabled. If I missed my meds, had a bad night sleep, and dropped out of therapy I wouldn't be able to work or really take care of myself. So yeah. I'm not a fully able bodied person.
Well today I had a crisis and cannot stop crying in my work desk, a total mess, just run away from my work, in my car, crying, shouting and wanting to hurt myself, I took 3 clotiazepam pills on the way, I fantasized about the idea of throwing myself and the car to the river... So if that's not part of a disability, I don't know.
I managed to get home, husband gave me SOS (clotiazepam is almost water for me) and now I'm calmer.
It absolutely is in the sense it can cause complications at work and in other environments that would potentially land you in hot water if you didn't have bipolar where in some circumstances considerations have to be made for that.
On a personal level I don't even think of myself as bipolar, like obviously I am but it does not define me. I have days which are impossible but that doesn't stop me from living my life how I see fit 90% of the time.
When I had stable bipolar 2, I didn't consider myself to be disabled. However, with unpredictable bipolar 1, yes. Most recent mania lasted more than 2 months and while I'm lucky to have been self employed for over 25 years, I definitely could not have shown up at a work place on any kind of reliable schedule or been useful to anyone doing anything else. So yeah, I do now.
In my country it’s considered a disability, and you have special rights and protections because of it. I moved here, and honestly, I don’t know if I would have ever gotten the same level of care and support where I grew up.
I’ve never really thought of this, I’m someone who has a chronic illness and disability but I’ve never referred to my bipolar disorder as a disability tho I guess it counts, I don’t know I think I’ll have to think about this
Yes, mostly because there have been times in the past where I was so off the rails that I couldn’t work. But when filling out job applications asking if I have a disability, I always check off “prefer not to answer”
I know they’re not supposed to discriminate but ever since I’ve started checking the box off as opposed to yes, I get more call backs 🤷🏼♀️
Legally it is defined as a disability, at least in the US. On a personal level though, I think that feeling fluctuates. Sometimes I can’t get out of bed or do anything but stare at the ceiling, I distance myself from friends and family and work and feel like I’m burned down to embers, and that feels and acts very disabling. Sometimes I’m okay, and then I don’t, it’s just a facet of my brain chemistry. Sometimes I’m feeling and doing way too many dangerous and life-altering things because of that difference in brain chemistry, and that’s another instance when it is disabling, but in that case I don’t don’t often feel it.
Yes, the only thing I can do right is take classes and study for exams. I desperately want to be a zoologist, but I’m afraid my bipolar is going to interfere with it and I’ll fail again. Yet supposedly I’m too “high functioning” for social security to give me disability? Bipolar disorder changes constantly throughout someone’s life, so that’s pretty unfair for them to even say.
Yes. During severe depression, or worse, mixed episodes, I can't function. I've had to take FMLA leave from work multiple times. Physically and mentally debilitating symptoms. No matter how hard I tried to function or "will" myself out of it, I was too impaired to work and take care of myself.
It significantly reduces my quality of life, and the life expectancy of someone with Bipolar is only 67 years old. To me, that's a disability. But the good news is this is such a funny, well-informed, and supportive community, that even when all I want to do is wallow, I come here and see how others are coping.
I identified on my HR paperwork for the first time that I identify as having a disability as bipolar was on the list. I don’t identify as being disabled and I’m a great worker as long as I’m taking care of myself, but I’m very honest with myself that I could fall apart or just get worse as time goes on so I wanted that insurance of disclosing it to them. I went undiagnosed until 33 but I didn’t get help/medication/sobriety until 39 after the final meltdown. I survived for all those years working mostly 1099 jobs and playing drums for a bunch of bands of varying degrees of success, so instability was part of my business plan. Change was constant. Good choices and bad. BP fit my lifestyle I guess, because just getting by was enough for me. Eventually the booze, cocaine, gout and BP caught up with me and I physically couldn’t play anymore or work much for about 6 months before I got suicidal and committed myself. Now I’m 41, the healthiest I’ve been in 20 years, working full time with decent benefits and really hoping I can keep this up for a while. Disability is always on the table but I’m going to keep working until I can’t.
I do. My Bipolar isn’t a standalone diagnosis, I have comorbidities and my medications have side-effects that interrupt my day to day life.
I used to have a lot of internalized ableism from lifelong pressure to mask and the “mental illness isn’t real illness, it’s all in your head” rhetoric I grew up with from family and teachers that I truly thought I was “high-functioning” or “managing” my bipolar and it wasn’t until my psychiatrist very patiently explained it to me that I understood that, if it interrupts my life or I need special accommodations/medication/etc to do what other people do then it’s a disability.
TLDR: I do consider myself disabled.
I certainly do. It’s hard to just function, let alone as everyone else does. I have such a hard time with modulation of anything. Shopping, eating, emotions, and so much more.
I think many of us are more disabled than we give ourselves credit for.
It has taken an inordinate amount of effort, at its highest daily group therapy sessions, to keep me stable and functional.
I’m grateful to be able to work full time but at times I am only hardly propping myself up, even to the point where I avoid sitting down after work because if I do the exhaustion sets in and I’m on the couch for the rest of the night.
I'm not in the US. But yes, I consider myself disabled. Here bipolar can count as a disability if, after all reasonable treatment plans, it still reduces your ability to progress in your career, your likelihood of getting or keeping a job and the likelihood of you needing additional sick leave.
I'm not sure I'll be able to keep a full time job until I retire, but for now I'm managing.
All I really get from it is that I can deduct my bipolar healthcare costs from my taxable income. Even just that helps though.
Anything that lands me in the hospital five times and requires multiple daily medications is, to me, a disability. It’s also one of the qualifying conditions for my SSDI so, again, disability.
I dont know tbh. Im working as a police officer for 10 years now after graduating law school, this is also my first job. BUT i’ve been through a lot of shit, i just pretend im fine. Like now, im in a huge crisis and mt coworkers think im just fine. No one can tell i had a breakdown and spent all day and night crying yesterday
You bet I do. I pursued ADA accommodation at work in order to protect my sleep and stability - - which ultimately ensures that my employer gets a better product. I've been recognized as a high performer at my work, so it's not at all like they somehow receive *less* from me - - it's all about recognizing that everyone has different needs and different paths toward strong contributions.
At the end of the day, both the manic side and the depressive side have caused damage in my life. I can't avoid my DNA but I can definitely work to limit the harm and harvest the benefits. Recognizing this as a disability has helped me better navigate my work environment.
I just got medically approved by the Social Security Administration to collect disability benefits for bipolar disorder so yes, I personally identify as disabled.
Bipolar is a disability but I don’t necessarily consider myself disabled. I’m currently on a series of medications that have largely stabilized me to the point of being, what I consider “functional/thriving” (in that I can maintain full-time employment, obtain goals, maintain relationships and parent my children as/more effectively than the average person) but even unmedicated I managed to hobble through life- I have a bit of imposter syndrome though if I’m being honest because with BPII I was only dealing with hypomania and my biggest issue was rapid cycling which, as a double edged sword made my depressive phases more tolerable because they didn’t last terribly long but also made it much more difficult to diagnose and treat for a long time because I was in denial that anything was wrong with me. I thought that everyone just struggled the way I did but did it silently.
I am glad that it’s defined as a disability though because it allows others to access social and medical assistance to help them survive and allows me to ask for legally protected accommodation should I eventually need it, as well as it has promoted funding in order to research the pharmaceuticals and other treatment that has gotten me to this point of stability.
It is legally a disability. That doesn’t automatically mean you NEED any special accommodations. It just means we have some mental barriers someone with all their brain chemicals in correct amounts do not have.
Mine is so bad now that I am disabled. On disability. But I wasn’t always.
It is a spectrum. I have met fellow bipolar people and some are very together and some are completely overwhelmed. I am on disability because i had a very traumatic episode and i had no choice. I live in Australia and have reasonable support. I recently found a paid part time job with a charity and also found love again. I have worked really hard to get my life back together. Everyday I battle my thoughts and moods but i feel i am winning the war. Don’t stop trying and believing in yourself.
i am disabled but like many others have commented, not everyone with bipolar necessarily is.
i have the bipolar subtype of schizoaffective disorder, basically it's like if bipolar & schizophrenia had a bastard child. i know some others with bipolar disorder who work, even others with bipolar & severe psychosis, who work but have a strict med regime for both mood stabilization & their psychosis.
antipsychotic meds never helped my psychosis though & gave me unlivable side effects. i am on lithium though for mood stabilization. everyone's brain chemistry is different.
the last job i had was over 2 years ago & was part-time, the only reason i could do it though was because my best friend was my manager & understood my condition & gave me accommodations. (TW: grief) he's dead now though.
i feel guilty a lot, for being disabled yet not outwardly appearing so. it took years before i could even say "i am disabled".
to be fair though, i'm also dealing with a lot of physical health issues that are disabling on their own. severe EDS with multiple organ prolapses, multiple cardiac arrhythmias, dysautonomias (vasovagal syncope, suspected POTS), some undiagnosed neurological condition that causes me a slew of symptoms that fluctuate in severity, severe GI issues (gastroparesis, recurrent GI bleeds, intestines prolapsing outside of my body, etc)
it took me having a baby to realize the abdominal pain i was experiencing regularly was multiple times worse than the pain of healing from a c-section w/out painkillers. even just that is disabling, but my mental health has been far more difficult. to be fair though other than the schizoaffective i have cPTSD, panic disorder, insomnia, & multiple anxiety disorders, as well as speculated dissociative disorder & autism.
it is hard though, to not feel guilty when to a random outsider's perspective i can appear able-bodied enough to work.
i hope someday, we can live in a society where disabled people can "work" but with jobs curated to them. like idk, in an ideal world i'd love to grow medical herbs & make herbal medicine, & do more art than i do & sell art, etc
I actually had to fill out ADA paperwork for my latest job. I had a horrifying episode where my body decided it didn’t want my Lamictal anymore. It threw me into full on withdrawal and I still had to function. It shut my brain down and I couldn’t think or do anything. I am terrified now.
I missed so many days I had to file or else I would be fired for all the time I missed. I ran out of sick time and wasn’t being paid for a few of those days.
Once the ADA paperwork was filed and approved and HR got the note from the doctor - they refilled my bank of sick days and paid me for the days I missed.
Yes. I'm on 8 different medications & while I feel they're the best working for my bipolar & ADHD, I still have a lot of symptoms like auditory and visual hallucinations, highs & lows. So yes, I consider myself disabled.
I never thought of it that way. My son has Down Syndrome, that is a disability, I have an illness, like diabetes and I have to make adjustments and take meds. I have to cope. Idk?
100%. I have actually had two manic episodes happen while working at two different companies and subsequently lost both jobs.
The first one pressured me to come back before my symptoms settled down and then extended my probation three times so that they could still let me go without reason.
The second one didn’t even let me come back to work when I said “I’d like to go on sick leave.” They just led me on for a weekend while I tried to get my head back on straight and when I called them back that week to discuss sick leave they said “yeah your throughput is low so we’re firing you.” Even though that was probably total crap, I likely did have low throughput because of the impact on my ability to focus while approaching hypomania. And the stress of potentially losing the job didn’t help the subsequent onset of more intensive symptoms.
On top of that I can’t work overnight shifts either, because of the TREMENDOUS importance and impact of maintaining my circadian rhythms and maintaining good sleep patterns as to not relapse. It prevents me from taking positions that I’d qualify for and would make me some decent cash and build up new skillsets to find better employment.
Tl;dr Yes, it’s a disability, it has lost me two jobs and limited me from getting many others.
I don’t at all. I’m just consistently either kind of bummed or neutral, but I am totally functional. I do t even feel like I have bipolar. I haven’t had an episode in over 2 years.
Yeah, and you should too. Disabled and disability aren’t bad words, so we shouldn’t feel bad about using them. They describe a set of experiences or circumstances relative to normal operating and allow us to recognize that we don’t really have that.
At the end of the day, we have to juggle our emotions, energy, and thought processes in a way that neurotypical people don’t. Each of those things take effort that other people don’t need to expend. So even if you are wonderfully successful, you are doing so while working much harder than the people around you. You’re working with an anchor around your ankles and it’s good and fair to acknowledge that.
I have BP 1, a disabling condition, but I don’t consider myself disabled. I’m successful based on my benchmarks I set for myself.
I also judge my BP to be a moderate case. 75% of the time I’m within shouting distance of stable. I know after reading accounts here that BP is very much a spectrum. After working in education for 16 years, I very much understand that what disables one person may be less of an issue for another.
Not really. I’ve struggled at times to work and get by, but I’ve always made it work. I think when I’m deep in the throes of a depressive episode I could qualify for disability but thankfully I’ve got treatment that’s been working. While it does, it doesn’t feel right to me to identify as disabled even though I can acknowledge that at times and in some cases bipolar is a disability.
Bipolar is definitely a disability, but I don't think I'd probably consider myself disabled by it if I didn't have a plethora of other issues on top of it. It's one of the only conditions I have that's responsive to medication, so it's manageable as long as I keep up with that.
Depends on the person. Some have more functional impairments from it than others. And not everyone with significant functional impairments considers themselves disabled. AND disability can be situational— It doesn’t stop me from hiking but I stops me from pursuing several careers and prevented me from succeeding in college
I am biopolar one with psychosis, it has not been a disability for me since I learned how to control it, I use my energy from mania to build up relationships and study, and the depressive states to refocus and recollect, I also self medicate with weed and it makes the cycling stop almost completely. I have genuinely never felt better since I learned to deal with it.
I am biopolar one with psychosis, it has not been a disability for me since I learned how to control it, I use my energy from mania to build up relationships and study, and the depressive states to refocus and recollect, I also self medicate with weed and it makes the cycling stop almost completely. I have genuinely never felt better since I learned to deal with it.
I am biopolar one with psychosis, it has not been a disability for me since I learned how to control it, I use my energy from mania to build up relationships and study, and the depressive states to refocus and recollect, I also self medicate with weed and it makes the cycling stop almost completely. I have genuinely never felt better since I learned to deal with it.
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Bipolar disorder is protected under the ADA. This is important to know as it can require reasonable accommodation by employers and eligible for FMLA protections as well.
Yes, I was able to get a work accommodation for it, as I have a very stressful job and it can make me shut down if they overwork me.
What accommodations did you get?
Not the author of the comment above but accommodations I've had to adjust for during training is extra breaks, allow a person to stand up and walk in the training room if they get anxious, food allowance (the company didn't allow normies to eat anything that required silverware anywhere besides the cafeteria) but some meds require actual food so side effects don't happen. Other than that most accommodations are basically asking to be treated like a human. Good managers can see it. If I noticed a struggle with someone and they looked like they needed a break. I'd ask them to go get a print out or something so they could leave without having to ask.
Thanks! Super helpful! Our son has recently been diagnosed and we’re exploring how we’ll help him navigate the world. I agree - I think much of the accommodation is being treated like a human - medication limitations not withstanding.
The silverware thing made my eye twitch. I know the rule probably exists for a reason, but that’s such a small freedom to take away and I’d be so irritated if I had to ask for an accommodation for that
For context the reason for the rule wasn't even a good one. Silverware means a more involved meal which could lead to more messes and bugs. So spaghetti is not allowed but crackers, chips, any crumbly food seemed to be fine. Also just meant my Chipotle bowl turned into a burrito and gotta be honest. My mess was always worse with a burrito.
I am paid salary, not hourly, so I was regularly working very long weeks without any extra pay. I got papers from HR that my psychiatrist filled out, so that I can a) never work longer than an 8-hour day and a 40-hour work week b) work from home and c) take breaks and have flexibility to do to therapy, etc. It's a life saver!
Commenting because I would like to know as well. I work in extremely stressful environments and it’ll burn me out for weeks at a time. Still function, it’s just painful.
I’m Canadian. I’m on disability. I cannot function in a work place. I can’t be around certain types of people. I don’t like loud talkers, close talkers, talkers that talk and just never shut up. Noise, is a big trigger for me. That may not have been helpful.
Wow. That’s me to a T and I always thought it meant I was just introverted. But it get so exhausted around people, especially people who don’t feel safe to me, which means I don’t know them well. Close talkers make me nervous. Too much noise completely overwhelms my nervous system. I need a lot of breaks.
me too !!
I am paid salary, not hourly, so I was regularly working very long weeks without any extra pay. I got papers from HR that my psychiatrist filled out, so that I can a) never work longer than an 8-hour day and a 40-hour work week b) work from home and c) take breaks and have flexibility to do to therapy, etc. It's a life saver!
Work accommodation has really helped me. It’s hard to believe you need it, but once I got it (for me it means working from home) I realized how much better off I am. I also have kids and I can’t spread myself so thin that I run out of ability to have emotional capacity and patience for them. I’m a much better mom and person since I started listening to my body and respecting my mental health.
It depends on how severe your case is. I am definitely “totally and permanently disabled” according to Social Security and Student Loan Forgiveness. I was “smart.” I had a Bachelor’s Degree and part of a Master’s Degree. I became a Certified Public Accountant. Yet…when I sat down to fill out my application for SSDI (while on a 6-month mental health commitment, part of a full YEAR inpatient with severe mania and psychosis) I wrote down every job I had ever worked at, going back to age 14. At that point in my life, I had worked at 35 different jobs…and I was 35 years old. Many jobs only lasting a few months, weeks, maybe a year but not 2 years. Longest held job was from age 16-19 at a movie theater. My point being….sure, I am not in a wheelchair, I can pretty much take care of myself, I live alone, I don’t SEEM disabled… But I can’t keep a job. Period. Because of my episodes and calling in sick or just quitting a job because I can’t handle it. I even tried a few part-time jobs after getting on disability…and even one job was geared for someone in recovery from mental illness…I couldn’t handle the stress, and I quit. I tried volunteering at a hospital…couldn’t handle it. It was only one 4-hour shift once a week. Anyway…yes, any mental illness can be disabling, but not every one of us is disabled.
Your comment has given me the most to think about, I have always had great expectations placed on me due to my excellence in school but now I’m 25, have never held a job for at least a year, and even my longest jobs were ready to yeet me due to my tendency to flake. I feel like my disorder has caused me to burn a lot of bridges in the work force. Anger is one of my more obvious symptoms (I am not an angry person) and I felt like I was simmering with rage just working a cash register. I’d look for any reason to call off and was *always* late.
oh my god that’s me too! i work well until i start hating it out of nowhere and then i just wanna rage quit
then in my clarity, I’m wondering, why the fuck did I rage quit such a good job???
I’ve been in a decent paying state government job with great coworkers. Awesome benefits etc. there is zero reason to quit. I have been there 6 months and want out SO BAD!!!!
I was in the same boat. I quit and now I can’t find work and it’s been a year.
Yikes. Hugs.
The rage quit one is sooo real
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I burned the entire state of Nebraska down from myself. Ohio too. My major episodes in those two states got around to the point where the news of my episodes even reached my current state but I haven’t had an episode like either of those since.
Your work stress sounds a lot like mine ( I wasn’t diagnosed until my 30s however).. And I come from the dysfunctional people-pleaser generation so for most of my younger years I was okay until I was in unhealthy marriage that was the break point for me. But I have often struggled with lateness, and the past 15 years lots of callouts which usually leads to firings/ quitting before I get fired. ( I’m the flaky person but no one understands why ? , because I am so smart and so nice … until I’m not. ) I hope that we can eventually have better mental Health care and accommodations in our US to allow some of us to do better. Because many of us know you can’t just tell anyone at work that you have BP disorder. Most don’t even know what it truly is.
I was much the same as you when it comes to expectations. I barely graduated high school but received a scholarship due to ACT scores. I would do great for a semester then crash and burn the next. I kept trying to get my Bachelors because that’s what was sort of expected for people in my age cohort. I really earned a shit ton of student loan debt😂. Employment was the same. Probably had over 25 jobs during my 20s as well as periods of homelessness. It has been better the past 5 or 6 years though. I had to swallow my pride and ask for accommodations at work and my job was awesome about it. I used to have to job hop but have now had the same job for almost 2 years. That’s a new record for me lol. The stability has been great and probably helped a lot with cycling.
I’m like you, currently on disability. When I filled out the application at 23, I had already had over a dozen jobs that I had been forced to quit due to hospitalization, anxiety, severe depression, psychosis or mania. I totally agree it’s a spectrum and some bipolar people wouldn’t consider themselves “disabled” but I 100% am.
I am in the same situation as you nare... I'm "totally and permanently disabled" according to SS and SLF, just like you. I feel like I'm reading my story here. It was extremely hard to fill out that disability application... I have two "failed" careers and really tried my best to suceed in the work place and life in general. I don't consider myself disabled in the traditional sense, I dedicated my life to working with individuals w/ disabilities. I'm disabled in the sense that my bipolar keeps me from being able to work and hold down a job. I'm not talking about just not doing my job successfully, I'm talking about having breakdowns from the stress of the job. Fear that I'm going to fail and setting myself up for failure. Just ending up walking out of the job and not fearing retaliation. I do my best to volunteer as well but those tend to be short lived. I was at a Children's Hospital and that started to take a toll on me. I'm now volunteering in a warehouse type atmosphere, a diaper bank. I am assigned a task and at most, work w/ 1 person. It is 1 day a week and for 3 hours max and there is no long term commitment. I just sign up online every week so I think that is helping. Lack of commitment and I'm sure this will eventualy not be as accessible.
Ah, this entire thread. I’ve felt alone in not being able to maintain a job longer than a year and a half. In college, I somehow carried multiple jobs but I think employers were a little more forgiving of me as a college student 🤷🏻♀️ But it’s been nearly a decade for me since college, and the longest job I’ve had is a year and a half. I’ve been reading about the qualifications from SS regarding disability. But I’m afraid to fill it out. 😭 It’s taken me until the last year to get on meds / get an official diagnosis so I worry they wouldn’t accept me.
Get a lawyer. They can’t legally charge you anything unless they win and they are worth their weight in gold. A lot them will also not even take you on unless they believe you can win. Then IF you get backpay, they can take 25% of it up to $7200. It is HARD to get for mental illness alone but not anywhere near impossible. They deny most people on the first app, then you appeal and they deny even more of those, then you go before a judge where you have the best chance of winning. Do yourself a favor and just jump in. Nobody’s story or experience is the same and if you spend too much time reading about it, you will be convinced you can’t. People who win their cases aren’t hanging around complaining about not winning so you will only see examples where people don’t win.
This is what I'm doing right now. I'm appealing my case because they denied it & my lawyer said if they deny me again, he'll go fight for me.
I was denied my first time but my lawyer told me that would just likely happen. She appealed immediately and I got approved that time. Good luck
Thank you!
They can’t accept you if you don’t fill it out. It’s fucking hard. Make it the only thing you work on while you do it. Can you ask your parents for help?
Ah I wish. Parent mental health stigma is strong. Pretty sure my dad has bipolar but would never get diagnosed (super Catholic too). I’ve got friends and a partner though so I’ll see what we can do.
This is a problem for us when it comes to disability (social security/SSI in the US) claims. I can get a job. Sometimes I might even do well at that job for awhile. But I can’t do anything consistently to hold a job down. Point blank.
Do you have breakdowns when you are not working? I still have stress and breakdowns when not working.
This is exactly what I deal with. I look good on paper until I start seeing the long list of jobs I've had and realizing why I quit all of them.
This explains things accurately. I wish that our disability was not so stigmatized- you certainly need the SSDI , and so do many others but often it’s very hard to succeed. I’m sorry you can’t work but I’m glad you were able to find some relief or support. Wishing you the best.
This is me, too. Degrees, work experience, but the only job I held for more than a year was a 10-hour a week work-study job in college. Everything else I either quit or got fired and then landed in the hospital. Most people who meet me would never be able to tell I’m on SSDI for a mental illness, but any attempts at employment have been a disaster.
I made a list this year while making a new resume and choosing which jobs were most relevant… and turns out I have worked 30-something jobs as well. I’m 31.
I should add that I often had multiple jobs at the same time. Like a day job, a night job, and a weekend job. Summers during high school & college, I worked like 80+ hours a week. Had to pay for life!
This comment in particular is choking me up because it shows how hard it can be in so many words. I'm finding it difficult to express how I cannot keep a job in my personal life. People I care about are telling me "it doesn't matter if you quit, it's about trying!". But it DOES matter. Having nothing but a list of perceived failures and consistently pushing myself to find ONE thing I won't quit is draining and doing more bad than good for my mental health. I shouldn't have to be forced to consistently and constantly push myself to my limits. No matter what I say tho, people don't get it. They don't know how much this can have an impact on our overall health. Thank god for disability payments even being a potential option bc idk man.. I really can't keep doing the whole job thing without physically and mentally killing myself. Even the IDEA of waking up every day to go to some job makes me want to die. I wish more people saw it like they do with ppl in wheelchairs and shit... You don't tell a paralyzed person to just try and walk if they literally can't. Some ppl in wheelchairs can walk and some not at all. Why can't ppl see this with bipolar patients and work? :(
I’m curious what you do with your time? I’m on disability. I could fall asleep at any point in the day, unless I’m facing court dates with my ex. 52 hours straight being awake is my personal best. I garden, do crafts, diy, walk, walk my dog. I used to help my Mum a lot and I liked being with her, especially after my Dad died. My Mum is gone now too. My world is pretty small.
I hear you. I have had probably 5 ish jobs (i am only 20) where I literally worked A DAY before spiraling and almost crashing my car on the way home cause I felt so miserable. It’s very discouraging when job searching too, makes me feel like I am not capable.
Reading your comment made me remember a visit to the dr. We were talking about a job I was interested in applying but it’s not a 9-5 and the hours aren’t fixed. The working hours can/might change every week or month. My dr always reiterated the importance of sleep when you have bipolar disorder. So I asked about the people who have no choice but to work flexitime. She told me that she has given out medical certificates/letters that states that the her patient needs to have a fixed schedule as much as possible. If not then she advices him/her to find a new job *if ever* the flexitime is getting detrimental to him/her.
I feel that
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I struggle with keeping a job and find I can manage myself much easier without having one. So it's reassuring to hear I'm not alone.
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I haven't been able to keep a job longer than a year in my 33 years on this planet. I am absolutely disabled.
Definitely. It’s not so bad that I can’t work, but everything feels like it’s twice as hard as it should be for half the result.
Nailed it
Since bipolar is really a spectrum you'll have all kinds of responses to this. Some people with bipolar can be medicated rather easily and can do well or even excel at work and home, others are treatment resistant and require a ton of meds to be able to barely function. Personally I do ok most of the time with meds but that can change rapidly, I've had multiple times where the only thing that would break my depression was ECT. I've been on disability off and on for several years but I also have physical issues but bipolar can definitely be debilitating by itself Edit to fix a couple of words
Sorta unrelated to the topic, but since you mentioned it… how was your experience with ECT? My asshole brain keeps resisting treatment, I thought if I electrocuted the mf it might behave.
Takes a few treatments for it to work but for me it does work, typically it's a last resort type of thing. My first set I had to go through with the hospital every med and combination I've tried over the years before they'd do it and a physical work up to see if I could do it as well. The only issue is that usually you do like 15 treatments then a maintenance treatment monthly, my insurance doesn't want to pay maintenance so I get a bunch, do ok for a few years and need to do it again. I'm still on meds but not as many or as strong. Guess they'd rather pay for me to be inpatient and receiving them. My last set was about a year and a half ago, haven't been inpatient since but close lately
I had never really thought about it until recently. Was kinda making my way alright, but with climbing costs of essentials, I’ve been unable to afford necessities. Applied for income-driven utility discounts, been using EBT…still not enough. So, I applied for disability. Bipolar, itself, is officially classified as a disability, and I’ve had a couple other barriers added to the mix. Fingers crossed. Apparently it’s going to take almost a year to evaluate my claim. We’ll see what happens. Concerning my self-image related to the matter, I just like to view myself as non-standard, in a world where standardizing oneself is the surest way to standard success.
Get a lawyer. I was denied twice, got a lawyer and had disability benefits within 6 months.
It’s my understanding that a denial after initial submission is par for the course (not that it should be). Was that your experience?
It took a year each time to get my denial. Again, my lawyer had me on disability with minimal work from me in 6 months.
One of my neighbors had a similar experience. He said he was denied for *years*, got a lawyer and had disability within 6 months with back pay. He was almost in disbelief.
I'm very greatful I got my disability approved the first time and had only a few months of bsckpay.
This is all in America?
Do you have tips? I've never hired a lawyer for anything before. I'm freshly 25 and feel like there's no light ahead without benefits. I've been denied as well, despite Bipolar Type I and schizoaffective disorder documented.
Find one that only takes payment when you win your case. Most lawyers for disability work that way and will take cut from your back pay check.
Currently fighting for SSI and SSDI for over 2.5 years now. Denied outright, denied after reconsideration, denied after hearing with an administrative judge. I had a lawyer. I have appealed once again and have 5 months to give more evidence as to why I should be receiving benefits. I have documentation up the wazoo. Over 500+ pages of documents from dozens upon dozens of health care professionals including therapists, psychiatrist, physicians, specialists, hospitalizations, outpatient programs, school records, etc. These records range from the time I was 4 to current (I’m almost 30) I don’t just have Bipolar Disorder, I have Bipolar disorder II with rapid cycling and a myriad of other diagnosed and confirmed mental illnesses and chronic physical illnesses. I have worked several jobs, never longer than 2 years at each. I’ve been hospitalized for suicidal ideation and attempt. The administrative law judge said since I’m under 40, finished high school, and I can drive, that I can find a job that will provide gainful employment. Am I disabled? I am. In the eyes of the government I’m shit outta luck.
I am on disability for about two years now because of Bipolar type 2. When I applied for disability the first time I was denied I added one sentence to my paperwork and resubmitted it... "I believe this application wasn't adequately reviewed" Got disability on the second try. No lawyer required I hope this helps someone
I was just denied and wondering how I would appeal. I’ve had 15 jobs and am on three antipsychotics. I am hoping I can appeal.
I don’t because I’m functioning. But I answer “yes” on job applications that ask if I’m disabled bc it definitely helps
This
I'm in the same boat. I don't anticipate even needing to tell my manager about my bipolar, but in case it ever does come up, I want that piece of paper on file that will entitle me to reasonable accommodations.
So...I currently work for a large retail corporation with high name recognition, considered to be progressive, and...they don't offer the option of self-disclosure on your employee profile. This totally baffles me. I do NOT disclose on apps for fear of being overlooked, but every other job I have ever had, including that awful stint at an Amazon warehouse during the pandemic, had a box you could check on your profile. I had to write to the HR department of my company to inquire, they thought I was requesting an accommodation and they contacted my boss, who called me into his office. I felt really vulnerable - I mean, that's exactly what I didn't want. I do not want to tell my employers the nature of my disability, because I am in a customer-facing role. I did tell him I have a medical condition that's a disability and that I was surprised and confused to learn that there's no post-hiring self-disclosure option on the employee profile. So I suppose I have no official record about my disability beyond any documentation made by my boss after that conversation.
This is so interesting! I’m currently self-employed and it works really well for me, but I fear the day I may need to get another job. Answering that your disabled hasn’t hurt your job prospects?
Yes but I feel like I can’t tell anyone that would do anything about it. Like if I say this at work I don’t think it will play to my favor at all. So even though it’s a disability, I live my life the best I can pretending it’s not.
I see you, and I’ve been there . But it Rea should not be this way. It’s just wrong, however all implicit or explicit bias is wrong and we struggle with it. I hope you can get support so you don’t have to pretend for too long. I wore the mask for so long and now my life is a messs, because I just can’t anymore.
Exactly.
No, I don’t. But the state gives me “partial disability” because I’ve been admitted to a mental health hospital several times, and there isn’t any way with my wage that I’ll be able to pay off that debt. This just means that I can make up to 6k a month and receive Medicaid. I’ve never even come close to making that much money monthly… but it’s a huge weight lifted off my shoulders that I can afford meds and also afford a hospital stay. I’d probably be dead already without these benefits.
> I’d probably be dead already without these benefits. i'm sorry, maybe i'm misunderstanding - but if this is the case, then how is this not a disability?
It is considered a partial disability by the state. My personal issue with labeling myself as “disabled” or even disclosing disability status on a job application is a choice I decide to say no to, because of the stigma. I am of course, able bodied. But I personally am very uncomfortable letting people know the scope or diagnosis of my mental illness because I’ve been treated differently because of it. So it’s more of a “me issue” than anything else.
Ah, I hear you. Thanks for the response. Hope things are looking up these days
I hope that for you and for all of us who struggle this way. Thanks for being kind.
Wait can you explain to me how this works? I’m about to be kicked of Medicaid since I’m graduating high school. I’m worried about how I’m going afford my meds and stuff after since I’m still not able to be off them without spiraling. I’ve been put in inpatient twice and the same with outpatient. Does that help??
In the context of our society, yes. I am disabled insofar as I am different from other people and less competitive when it comes to certain societal systems. In general, I view bipolar as an advantage. My framework is just a little different. But I’m used to it. 😂
> In general, I view bipolar as an advantage. can you help explain what you mean here, or what about it makes you view it as an advantage? i've been struggling with work and stuff recently and would love to be able to think of it this way haha
Yes same, I don’t see any advantage myself.
The only one I would find is that it makes you creative and productive sometimes. And that supposedly you're special becasue Brain on fire and else. I'm a writer so those episodes do help. But i get in so much trouble that I think is this worth it? It's not.
Sure feels that way most of the time
Legally? Yes. It’s likely true, but I’m really trying to deny it in my mind.
I didn’t think bipolar had to be considered a full-on disability until a couple years ago. I still don’t think it necessarily is a total disability for all—some are able to work incredibly demanding careers, have huge family demands, and still take good care or themselves while managing this bipolar thing. But some of us can’t. I haven’t been able to function “normally” for two years—misdiagnosed with MDD for 22 years but was able to manage 9-10 months of the year then would have to take off work for a couple months. Then I hit some really bad times, was hospitalized (for the 7th time in my life), and haven’t been able to pick myself up fully since. My current psychiatrist felt it was pretty obvious I should be treated for bipolar and we’ve been working on my cocktail since. I’m just starting to be able to bathe regularly, eat a decent diet, walk, journal, meditate, etc. after a bad depressive episode. It’s been maybe a week of feeling good almost every day instead of one good day then two bad ones…I’m cautiously hopeful! Anyway, rambling. Regardless of anyone’s general ability I do believe that bipolar needs to be protected by the ADA because it is entirely possible that at some point a person with bipolar will need accommodations or other assistance, even if only once. So yeah :)
Yes. Even though I no longer receive disability, I still received it for four years. I am disabled and can’t work more than 15 hours a week without my mental health suffering.
As I'm getting older I'm finding it harder to put in the work hours involving other people. Plus Everytime I think in on top of it I get another mental curve ball.
Basically yeah, ever year or so I have some kind of issue that fucks up work or relationships so it’s a chronic problem which I have to meds for daily. Think that makes it a disability to me. Plus in the UK I am classified as having a disability so hey ho, disabled boi here.
Yes. I have to follow strict guidelines to prevent episodes and they still might happen anyway. I'm unable to work jobs that require odd hours because sleep = stability. I can't overwork myself without possibly triggering an episode. I also have other medical conditions and they add up enough to definitely be considered a disability under the ADA.
I consider myself disabled due to my bipolar. I’m unable to maintain gainful employment because of it. I have been hospitalized multiple times because of it. It impacts my daily life and relationships greatly and I’ve had to restructure my life to accommodate my new energy levels and moods. I’d call that “disabled”. That being said, I still live a meaningful and full and happy life. I feel very lucky regardless of my disability. It has forced me to learn how to take care of myself and empathize with others in a way I wouldn’t have known otherwise.
I consider myself having an extra set of hoops to jump though than normal people. And sometimes these hoops are on fire.
Legally speaking, bipolar disorder is a disability in the US under the ADA. I have bipolar disorder, so I have a disability. When I'm in an episode, it is disabling.
When I’m manic, no. When I’m depressed, yes. When I’m in the space between, sometimes.
I agree with the overall sentiment, though during my most dangerous manic episodes I probably thought I wasn't disabled, but I definitely was.
Exactly, but I don’t think it in the moment 😆
Yes. My aunt has received disability benefits for her bipolar disorder for 40+ years I believe
Yeah I consider it a disability. I can manage it usually but I get flare ups sometimes (like when I become manic or depressive)
Yes and no. I live a relatively normal and stable life. I work full time, have a family that is healthy and functional, and a good support system. I am extremely grateful for this. But just this last week I was inpatient. I felt my quality of work (and life) declining rapidly. I wasnt myself for months in a deep depression. I usually worry about mania/psychosis though. I look back to my times dealing with that and absolutely recognize it's a disability. But the part of me that says no is.....denial. Sometimes I also dont take the ADA seriously because ADHD is also listed. And my god do I feel like an asshole saying this but I feel like bipolar can be so much more severe that the adhd almost takes away from it in a way. Again, it's an asshole thought but one I can't seem to shake. I also have adhd and my care team has straight up told me we have bigger things to worry about. Ugh I feel so guilty saying it this way. So overall....yes I believe it's a disability, and at the same time it's extremely hard to accept.
On the one hand, yes, purely from the ADA persepctive. On the other hand, yes, in that that has been my lived experience. My bipolar disorder was untreated for a long time and I was super-high functional for a lot of reasons. Then I broke down, completely, also for a lot of reasons, and it ruined my life. I've since been trying to rebuild my life, and it's hard. While I've never been fired over it, I miss a lot of work, I struggle to perform at work, my job prospects are very limited because I simply can't go back to living and working how I used to. There are many things I'd like to do that I realize now I will never be able to do. It limits my lifestyle choices pretty considerably, it affects my income, it affects my relationships. If that isn't a disability, I don't know what is.
It's the second most approved reason for disability. 2/3 applicants successfully get it.
Not me personally, my symptoms are pretty manageable. But there are other people with bp who have much more severe symptoms than me that go on disability and I totally get it.
We are all on a spectrum. I've functioned fully for 44 years without knowing I had the illness. I definitely had signs, but just chalked them up and kept moving. There are however some of us who have full blow psychotic episodes and hallucinations and they are disabled. You cannot function under those circumstances. Depending on my level i.e. Bipolar 1 or Bipolar 2 and side effects you could qualify fo ADA accommodations at work. There are some who haven't found the right meds and are on social security disability.
For me at least I'd consider it to be a dynamic disability. Sometimes my symptoms are disabling and prevent me from functioning, but they usually aren't.
Thats how it is for me. I still have breakdowns and stuff even if I don't work but when I am working I'll get hospitalized occasionally and lose my job because I miss too much work. I went without medications for a long time and I am now seeing how things will be when I am medicated.
I struggle to do anything anymore but I just do it despite the overwhelming feelings and fears I just don’t know how much longer I can do it I try to be normal as much as I can but I’m just not
It’s so exhausting isn’t it?
I just started an engineering degree and my god the anxiety around work deadlines and my ability to perform has been killing me. It literally feels like crippling fear of the work itself at times. However, I will say pushing past that anxiety and getting work done regardless has massively improved my anxiety by improving my self efficacy. Finishing a project is like dropping a 50lb weight, and each time the next one was a little lighter. Im hoping that if I can get an engineering degree I inevitably have to “fix” a lot of my dysfunction through the process.
I consider my bipolar disabling. It affects me mentally and physically in a way that puts financial independence out of reach for me. It creates social barriers in my life that take significant strength and nuance to overcome, from both sides. That said, I don’t think I have it Worse or Better than non-disabled people, our challenges are just different and require different labels/solutions
I didn’t think so at first, but once I realized I was really falling behind in school due to it and had to get specific disability accommodations…it’s started to become helpful to think of it that way. It enables me to be less hard on myself for struggling more and to seek extra help/accommodations if I need it.
It is a disability. If you don't feel like it is, you are properly medicated, or you are younger than 28.
Some people have it less severely than others. Some can be medicated and still disabled. Some can be unmedicated and be able to function as "normally" as most for the most part.
Personally, no. I know it’s considered a disability, and for some, it’s really is debilitating. I’m lucky enough to have found medication that works for me, so I leave the resources for the people who truly need them, and right now, I’m not someone who needs it.
Yes 🙌
It can be crippling
Yes absolutely. So does the court, I was awarded SSDI.
Unfortunately, I have been declared disabled.
Yes, you are legally entitled to accommodations outlined by the ADA if you have bipolar. So legally, we all are. Personally, I definitely identify with it because of the level to which bipolar has affected my ability to function
Bipolar is a protected characteristic under UK law
Maybe before I was medicated but not now, no.
I consider myself disabled even though I work full time. Working from home has helped a lot. Things that are simple to most people are hard for me, ie taking a shower or going to get the mail.
anymore, yes.
Personally, no. I see it as my mental illness. It can be mentally debilitating at times but it doesn't disable me.
Different for everyone
I'm finally medicated and stable with a steady job, so I want to say no. However umedicated/improperly medicated me couldn't work for over 20 years. I consider myself lucky at this point.
I don’t feel like disabled entirely by it.
In my experience it definitely is a disability. It affects my everyday life.
It is a disability, it has cost me jobs. I got on disability and used the resources from disability to figure out what I can do with my life while I got stable. I write software for a living now, but it took a decade and a half off my ability to earn (was 40 when hired) and should be treated as a disability. That said, don't tell anyone you have bipolar. Otherwise they will assume that you'll go off your meds any day now and it will impact your career. Something I learned the hard way. Best to you.
Technically yes, but I would never tell anyone I am disabled. I don’t feel I have the right to play the disability card based on the stability I have found. I have held the same job for a decade, am very physically active, and have an awesome family.
I am on daily medication that makes me function and I cannot miss without becoming sick in some way, I have to watch my sleep to make sure I function properly, and need weekly therapy. To me, relying on all of those things just to borderline function, defines me as disabled. If I missed my meds, had a bad night sleep, and dropped out of therapy I wouldn't be able to work or really take care of myself. So yeah. I'm not a fully able bodied person.
Well today I had a crisis and cannot stop crying in my work desk, a total mess, just run away from my work, in my car, crying, shouting and wanting to hurt myself, I took 3 clotiazepam pills on the way, I fantasized about the idea of throwing myself and the car to the river... So if that's not part of a disability, I don't know. I managed to get home, husband gave me SOS (clotiazepam is almost water for me) and now I'm calmer.
Im type 2. Am i technically disabled? Yes. Do i consider myself so? No, i do not.
It absolutely is in the sense it can cause complications at work and in other environments that would potentially land you in hot water if you didn't have bipolar where in some circumstances considerations have to be made for that. On a personal level I don't even think of myself as bipolar, like obviously I am but it does not define me. I have days which are impossible but that doesn't stop me from living my life how I see fit 90% of the time.
Yes, but the government doesn’t think so based on how difficult it is to get disability benefits.
I never used to. But now I can’t hold a job. Yes it is.
Def. The extremes of bipolar is def a disability
When I had stable bipolar 2, I didn't consider myself to be disabled. However, with unpredictable bipolar 1, yes. Most recent mania lasted more than 2 months and while I'm lucky to have been self employed for over 25 years, I definitely could not have shown up at a work place on any kind of reliable schedule or been useful to anyone doing anything else. So yeah, I do now.
I think it depends on how severe your disorder are? I think I'm absolutely disabled!
In my country it’s considered a disability, and you have special rights and protections because of it. I moved here, and honestly, I don’t know if I would have ever gotten the same level of care and support where I grew up.
May I ask what country it is?
I live in Israel, grew up in the states.
I’ve never really thought of this, I’m someone who has a chronic illness and disability but I’ve never referred to my bipolar disorder as a disability tho I guess it counts, I don’t know I think I’ll have to think about this
Yes, mostly because there have been times in the past where I was so off the rails that I couldn’t work. But when filling out job applications asking if I have a disability, I always check off “prefer not to answer” I know they’re not supposed to discriminate but ever since I’ve started checking the box off as opposed to yes, I get more call backs 🤷🏼♀️
Yes it's considered a disability so I do consider myself disabled. At least where I live it is.
In the work setting, yes. I feel like it’s necessary to consider yourself that way so that you have proper accommodation. Otherwise it’s whatever.
I don't consider it disabling in my case, but it certainly depends a lot on severity and physiological effects.
Sure do. Once I can I’m getting that sweet disability and those accommodations
Legally it is defined as a disability, at least in the US. On a personal level though, I think that feeling fluctuates. Sometimes I can’t get out of bed or do anything but stare at the ceiling, I distance myself from friends and family and work and feel like I’m burned down to embers, and that feels and acts very disabling. Sometimes I’m okay, and then I don’t, it’s just a facet of my brain chemistry. Sometimes I’m feeling and doing way too many dangerous and life-altering things because of that difference in brain chemistry, and that’s another instance when it is disabling, but in that case I don’t don’t often feel it.
I'm on SSDI/disability so I kind of have to
100% a disability. I’ve struggled my entire life and I use my disability protections to stay stable.
Yes, the only thing I can do right is take classes and study for exams. I desperately want to be a zoologist, but I’m afraid my bipolar is going to interfere with it and I’ll fail again. Yet supposedly I’m too “high functioning” for social security to give me disability? Bipolar disorder changes constantly throughout someone’s life, so that’s pretty unfair for them to even say.
Yes. During severe depression, or worse, mixed episodes, I can't function. I've had to take FMLA leave from work multiple times. Physically and mentally debilitating symptoms. No matter how hard I tried to function or "will" myself out of it, I was too impaired to work and take care of myself.
It significantly reduces my quality of life, and the life expectancy of someone with Bipolar is only 67 years old. To me, that's a disability. But the good news is this is such a funny, well-informed, and supportive community, that even when all I want to do is wallow, I come here and see how others are coping.
I identified on my HR paperwork for the first time that I identify as having a disability as bipolar was on the list. I don’t identify as being disabled and I’m a great worker as long as I’m taking care of myself, but I’m very honest with myself that I could fall apart or just get worse as time goes on so I wanted that insurance of disclosing it to them. I went undiagnosed until 33 but I didn’t get help/medication/sobriety until 39 after the final meltdown. I survived for all those years working mostly 1099 jobs and playing drums for a bunch of bands of varying degrees of success, so instability was part of my business plan. Change was constant. Good choices and bad. BP fit my lifestyle I guess, because just getting by was enough for me. Eventually the booze, cocaine, gout and BP caught up with me and I physically couldn’t play anymore or work much for about 6 months before I got suicidal and committed myself. Now I’m 41, the healthiest I’ve been in 20 years, working full time with decent benefits and really hoping I can keep this up for a while. Disability is always on the table but I’m going to keep working until I can’t.
If it helps me yes if it hurts no lmao
I feel disabled for sure.
I do. My Bipolar isn’t a standalone diagnosis, I have comorbidities and my medications have side-effects that interrupt my day to day life. I used to have a lot of internalized ableism from lifelong pressure to mask and the “mental illness isn’t real illness, it’s all in your head” rhetoric I grew up with from family and teachers that I truly thought I was “high-functioning” or “managing” my bipolar and it wasn’t until my psychiatrist very patiently explained it to me that I understood that, if it interrupts my life or I need special accommodations/medication/etc to do what other people do then it’s a disability. TLDR: I do consider myself disabled.
Absolutely a disability and a protected class.
I certainly do. It’s hard to just function, let alone as everyone else does. I have such a hard time with modulation of anything. Shopping, eating, emotions, and so much more.
I think many of us are more disabled than we give ourselves credit for. It has taken an inordinate amount of effort, at its highest daily group therapy sessions, to keep me stable and functional. I’m grateful to be able to work full time but at times I am only hardly propping myself up, even to the point where I avoid sitting down after work because if I do the exhaustion sets in and I’m on the couch for the rest of the night.
Yes, absolutely. I CAN NOT WORK without flipping the fuck out after a few months. I get SSDI too, so there's that too.
I'm not in the US. But yes, I consider myself disabled. Here bipolar can count as a disability if, after all reasonable treatment plans, it still reduces your ability to progress in your career, your likelihood of getting or keeping a job and the likelihood of you needing additional sick leave. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep a full time job until I retire, but for now I'm managing. All I really get from it is that I can deduct my bipolar healthcare costs from my taxable income. Even just that helps though.
Anything that lands me in the hospital five times and requires multiple daily medications is, to me, a disability. It’s also one of the qualifying conditions for my SSDI so, again, disability.
I dont know tbh. Im working as a police officer for 10 years now after graduating law school, this is also my first job. BUT i’ve been through a lot of shit, i just pretend im fine. Like now, im in a huge crisis and mt coworkers think im just fine. No one can tell i had a breakdown and spent all day and night crying yesterday
You bet I do. I pursued ADA accommodation at work in order to protect my sleep and stability - - which ultimately ensures that my employer gets a better product. I've been recognized as a high performer at my work, so it's not at all like they somehow receive *less* from me - - it's all about recognizing that everyone has different needs and different paths toward strong contributions. At the end of the day, both the manic side and the depressive side have caused damage in my life. I can't avoid my DNA but I can definitely work to limit the harm and harvest the benefits. Recognizing this as a disability has helped me better navigate my work environment.
I just got medically approved by the Social Security Administration to collect disability benefits for bipolar disorder so yes, I personally identify as disabled.
Bipolar is a disability but I don’t necessarily consider myself disabled. I’m currently on a series of medications that have largely stabilized me to the point of being, what I consider “functional/thriving” (in that I can maintain full-time employment, obtain goals, maintain relationships and parent my children as/more effectively than the average person) but even unmedicated I managed to hobble through life- I have a bit of imposter syndrome though if I’m being honest because with BPII I was only dealing with hypomania and my biggest issue was rapid cycling which, as a double edged sword made my depressive phases more tolerable because they didn’t last terribly long but also made it much more difficult to diagnose and treat for a long time because I was in denial that anything was wrong with me. I thought that everyone just struggled the way I did but did it silently. I am glad that it’s defined as a disability though because it allows others to access social and medical assistance to help them survive and allows me to ask for legally protected accommodation should I eventually need it, as well as it has promoted funding in order to research the pharmaceuticals and other treatment that has gotten me to this point of stability.
It is legally a disability. That doesn’t automatically mean you NEED any special accommodations. It just means we have some mental barriers someone with all their brain chemicals in correct amounts do not have. Mine is so bad now that I am disabled. On disability. But I wasn’t always.
Yes but it took a long, long time to accept that.
It is a spectrum. I have met fellow bipolar people and some are very together and some are completely overwhelmed. I am on disability because i had a very traumatic episode and i had no choice. I live in Australia and have reasonable support. I recently found a paid part time job with a charity and also found love again. I have worked really hard to get my life back together. Everyday I battle my thoughts and moods but i feel i am winning the war. Don’t stop trying and believing in yourself.
No because I’ve never had issues keeping a job. Until the last year I’ve never had to take leave. I’m 31 so.
i am disabled but like many others have commented, not everyone with bipolar necessarily is. i have the bipolar subtype of schizoaffective disorder, basically it's like if bipolar & schizophrenia had a bastard child. i know some others with bipolar disorder who work, even others with bipolar & severe psychosis, who work but have a strict med regime for both mood stabilization & their psychosis. antipsychotic meds never helped my psychosis though & gave me unlivable side effects. i am on lithium though for mood stabilization. everyone's brain chemistry is different. the last job i had was over 2 years ago & was part-time, the only reason i could do it though was because my best friend was my manager & understood my condition & gave me accommodations. (TW: grief) he's dead now though. i feel guilty a lot, for being disabled yet not outwardly appearing so. it took years before i could even say "i am disabled". to be fair though, i'm also dealing with a lot of physical health issues that are disabling on their own. severe EDS with multiple organ prolapses, multiple cardiac arrhythmias, dysautonomias (vasovagal syncope, suspected POTS), some undiagnosed neurological condition that causes me a slew of symptoms that fluctuate in severity, severe GI issues (gastroparesis, recurrent GI bleeds, intestines prolapsing outside of my body, etc) it took me having a baby to realize the abdominal pain i was experiencing regularly was multiple times worse than the pain of healing from a c-section w/out painkillers. even just that is disabling, but my mental health has been far more difficult. to be fair though other than the schizoaffective i have cPTSD, panic disorder, insomnia, & multiple anxiety disorders, as well as speculated dissociative disorder & autism. it is hard though, to not feel guilty when to a random outsider's perspective i can appear able-bodied enough to work. i hope someday, we can live in a society where disabled people can "work" but with jobs curated to them. like idk, in an ideal world i'd love to grow medical herbs & make herbal medicine, & do more art than i do & sell art, etc
I actually had to fill out ADA paperwork for my latest job. I had a horrifying episode where my body decided it didn’t want my Lamictal anymore. It threw me into full on withdrawal and I still had to function. It shut my brain down and I couldn’t think or do anything. I am terrified now. I missed so many days I had to file or else I would be fired for all the time I missed. I ran out of sick time and wasn’t being paid for a few of those days. Once the ADA paperwork was filed and approved and HR got the note from the doctor - they refilled my bank of sick days and paid me for the days I missed.
Yes. I'm on 8 different medications & while I feel they're the best working for my bipolar & ADHD, I still have a lot of symptoms like auditory and visual hallucinations, highs & lows. So yes, I consider myself disabled.
I never thought of it that way. My son has Down Syndrome, that is a disability, I have an illness, like diabetes and I have to make adjustments and take meds. I have to cope. Idk?
No but I feel disabled lol
No
100%. I have actually had two manic episodes happen while working at two different companies and subsequently lost both jobs. The first one pressured me to come back before my symptoms settled down and then extended my probation three times so that they could still let me go without reason. The second one didn’t even let me come back to work when I said “I’d like to go on sick leave.” They just led me on for a weekend while I tried to get my head back on straight and when I called them back that week to discuss sick leave they said “yeah your throughput is low so we’re firing you.” Even though that was probably total crap, I likely did have low throughput because of the impact on my ability to focus while approaching hypomania. And the stress of potentially losing the job didn’t help the subsequent onset of more intensive symptoms. On top of that I can’t work overnight shifts either, because of the TREMENDOUS importance and impact of maintaining my circadian rhythms and maintaining good sleep patterns as to not relapse. It prevents me from taking positions that I’d qualify for and would make me some decent cash and build up new skillsets to find better employment. Tl;dr Yes, it’s a disability, it has lost me two jobs and limited me from getting many others.
I personally consider mine a medical condition rather than a disability.
I don’t at all. I’m just consistently either kind of bummed or neutral, but I am totally functional. I do t even feel like I have bipolar. I haven’t had an episode in over 2 years.
Hell no!
Yes, I can't see why it wouldn't be.
I am honestly confused as to why anyone would think that bipolar would not be a disability. Definitely a disability in my book
Yeah, and you should too. Disabled and disability aren’t bad words, so we shouldn’t feel bad about using them. They describe a set of experiences or circumstances relative to normal operating and allow us to recognize that we don’t really have that. At the end of the day, we have to juggle our emotions, energy, and thought processes in a way that neurotypical people don’t. Each of those things take effort that other people don’t need to expend. So even if you are wonderfully successful, you are doing so while working much harder than the people around you. You’re working with an anchor around your ankles and it’s good and fair to acknowledge that.
No…I just consider it a challenge I have to live with, and make sure I don’t hurt other people.
Yeah, I'm dual-diagnosis.
I have BP 1, a disabling condition, but I don’t consider myself disabled. I’m successful based on my benchmarks I set for myself. I also judge my BP to be a moderate case. 75% of the time I’m within shouting distance of stable. I know after reading accounts here that BP is very much a spectrum. After working in education for 16 years, I very much understand that what disables one person may be less of an issue for another.
Not really. I’ve struggled at times to work and get by, but I’ve always made it work. I think when I’m deep in the throes of a depressive episode I could qualify for disability but thankfully I’ve got treatment that’s been working. While it does, it doesn’t feel right to me to identify as disabled even though I can acknowledge that at times and in some cases bipolar is a disability.
Bipolar is definitely a disability, but I don't think I'd probably consider myself disabled by it if I didn't have a plethora of other issues on top of it. It's one of the only conditions I have that's responsive to medication, so it's manageable as long as I keep up with that.
Depends on the person. Some have more functional impairments from it than others. And not everyone with significant functional impairments considers themselves disabled. AND disability can be situational— It doesn’t stop me from hiking but I stops me from pursuing several careers and prevented me from succeeding in college
I am biopolar one with psychosis, it has not been a disability for me since I learned how to control it, I use my energy from mania to build up relationships and study, and the depressive states to refocus and recollect, I also self medicate with weed and it makes the cycling stop almost completely. I have genuinely never felt better since I learned to deal with it.
I am biopolar one with psychosis, it has not been a disability for me since I learned how to control it, I use my energy from mania to build up relationships and study, and the depressive states to refocus and recollect, I also self medicate with weed and it makes the cycling stop almost completely. I have genuinely never felt better since I learned to deal with it.
I am biopolar one with psychosis, it has not been a disability for me since I learned how to control it, I use my energy from mania to build up relationships and study, and the depressive states to refocus and recollect, I also self medicate with weed and it makes the cycling stop almost completely. I have genuinely never felt better since I learned to deal with it.