Good Question!
The answer is: YOU CAN\'T!
Work has been hell for 30 years, before and after meds (none have worked so far). Hopefully, you\'ll find something that works for you before \"ShowTime\" cause it ain\'t to perty otherwise, Missy!
P.S. I was Just (2 Weeks) diagnosed after 14 years of trial and disaster...so...there ya go.
Sorry...hate to be the harbinger of ill tidings but that\'s been my MAIN problem all these years.

it\'s tough when the depression gets really bad, but with the right meds and good treatment it\'s totally possible to be stable and have a normal life, and that includes work. in fact, it\'s really important to have a routine for yourself and work is the best way of implementing that. sometimes it can be tough but it\'s totally doable.

Work may be doable for the right person. Some people are more easy to medicate. I for one am not easy to medicate and find work exhausting even tho I love what I do. I do work on a very part time basis but I own my business so I can schecule as I please and am very fortunate in that aspect. I have often thought about disability but at this point I am hoping for a good med to coming along that will work for me.

how do you start a new discussion? This time I just clicked on another message, clicked reply and changed the subject line. Is there another way to do this?

A lot depends on how resistant your bipolar disorder is to medication. Mine is very resistant. Also, BP gets worse as you get older. I was able to work until I was 42. Then I had a major depressive episode that required me to retire on disability. I have become rapid cycling, which makes me very unstable. Again, a lot depends on the severity of your BP. You probably will be able to work while you are young. It may get more difficult as you get older. You might want to see a vocational counselor and get tested to see what kind of job you are best suited for based on your personality. I have since found out that my job was a bad choice for me based on my personality. I think that the extreme stress I felt while working, due to the job, had a lot to do with the severity of my BP.
Leslie

Since being diagnosed with bipolar 2 years ago, I\'ve went through 4 different jobs. Right now, I\'m in college. With any luck, in 2 years I\'ll be a Nurse.

Does anyone have any thoughts about a Nurse with bipolar working in a Psychiatric type setting? My wife thinks this would be a bad idea, but I would like to help other people struggling with mental illness. But, then again, if I have an episode, I think I would feel unqualified to work there.

As for being able to keep a job, right now all I can do is volunteer with clinical studies. I don\'t feel stable enough to return to a professional environment with tons of stress. I\'ve applied for part-time positions at local music stores because that\'s about all I think I can handle right now and still be able to go to school full time. My wife doesn\'t really understand my logic. She tries to be supportive, but sometimes she breaks down because she\'s worried about our financial situation.

All I can say is that this is a test on our relationship. After all, the marriage vows said for richer or poorer, sickness and in health. I don\'t want her to feel like I\'m taking advantage of her or that I\'m mooching off her, but I\'m doing the best I can.

Since being diagnosed with bipolar 2 years ago, I\'ve went through 4 different jobs. Right now, I\'m in college. With any luck, in 2 years I\'ll be a Nurse.

Does anyone have any thoughts about a Nurse with bipolar working in a Psychiatric type setting? My wife thinks this would be a bad idea, but I would like to help other people struggling with mental illness. But, then again, if I have an episode, I think I would feel unqualified to work there.

As for being able to keep a job, right now all I can do is volunteer with clinical studies. I don\'t feel stable enough to return to a professional environment with tons of stress. I\'ve applied for part-time positions at local music stores because that\'s about all I think I can handle right now and still be able to go to school full time. My wife doesn\'t really understand my logic. She tries to be supportive, but sometimes she breaks down because she\'s worried about our financial situation.

All I can say is that this is a test on our relationship. After all, the marriage vows said for richer or poorer, sickness and in health. I don\'t want her to feel like I\'m taking advantage of her or that I\'m mooching off her, but I\'m honestly doing the best I can.

You must talk to you doc about Abilify. for BP. I have tried many different med in the last 6 years anda it really works. My mind is crisp and alert. Good luck Write anytime. Barb-Detroit.

I was just diagnosed recently with bp, but looking back the last several years of my work history (among other things) now it all makes sense (sorta). I haven\'t been able to keep a steady job for a while now. My saving grace now is that I work for a woman whom I have been friends with forever. I have been so close to losing my job several times in the last year. I know that if we weren\'t friends, I would of. not that I am trying to take advantage of our friendhip, but that is the reality of it. now that I am coming to terms with this I have told her about it and she has more of an understanding of whats going on. she is very supportive.
I am hoping that once I have the right combo of meds that I am able to do more than just part-time ar atleast be able to work oart-time on a steady basis
Chelley

I was in a hospital for bp and my nurse had the same problems as me. She is doing so well it was a relief to know that could happen for me as well. I don\'t see anything wrong with it. I know what you mean about jobs. I have not been able to keep a job either buy my dr doesn\'t think I need disability. I have also been married four times. Now I at least have the man I think I will be with forever. I would be more confident about that buy I thought the last one would last and it didn\'t. I really do this time.

I went through 6 years of college, graduated from a 4 year nursing program, and after 14 + years of being a homemaker, discovered that I could not hold down a nursing job for more than a few months. Now I have a rather large school loan I cannot possibly pay off, and I have not worked since my son died last year. Some people are able to work, and others are not. It will depend mostly on whether or not you are willing to try medication, and perhaps therapy, and whether or not you can find a med that works for you. Close relationships and gainful employment are troublesome for those who are bipolar. It seems they are most successful if they can work at their own pace, and in a job where they do not have to deal with conflicts. (Customer Service is probably not a good career choice) If you do find, however, that you are not able to work, bipolar disorder is a valid reason to be eligible for disability/SSI. Which is actually a good thing, because some conditions which are or can be debilitating are still not acceptable criteria.

I just replied to another message in this topic, explaining my plight. So to avoid repeating it all, if you wouldn\'t mind finding and reading it. Being a nurse in a psych environment will be a tough thing. You have to be able to endure other people\'s irrational thoughts and behaviors, as well as yours, and stay on top of your game. The short time I did work as a nurse, that is mostly what I did. I am very grateful for the experience I did have, and only now do I know it was too much for me to handle. The only way I could have found out was to try. You will have a unique insight and understanding that only someone with a mental disorder can have. The only thing I can recommend is, to be sure you do not go into debt so far as to not be able to pay it off some way besides nursing if you have to. I didn\'t have a spouse to consider, and you can ruin yourself financially if nursing does not turn out to work for you. Also, there are some nursing jobs that aren\'t as stressful as psych. The most available jobs are in hospitals and nursing homes. Hospital jobs are very tough and the consequences of errors can cost someone their life. Nursing home jobs are a LOT of busy work - as well as your own work, you have to baby sit the nurse\'s aids and make sure they get their work done, deal with visiting families, and all with a warm smile on your face. There are some outs - working night shift is a lot quieter, but you have to be able to handle everything yourself.

Hi,

Okay move to Louisiana and come drive for us... That\'s a real possiblility... you\'d be surprised how many different walks of life we come from... Or is not moving what about cab companies where you live...

I just read what you wrote about what do we do when we are at work. Well everyone is different. Luckly I work for my parents at there company. I am an Orthotics Technician so I work on machinery. All day long I suffer wit mixed episodes. The only way I can get through work is I try and take my mind off of the things I am thinking of and try and think of something happy, so I listen to music. It helps but not all the way. You just have to make yourself do your job. You know what I mean. Even though it is really hard to even have your motor functions working right when you get in those state you really have to just do it. If I didn\'t make myself get through my day, I would just sit at my house all day long. I am not trying to make you discouraged but thats just the way life is when you are bipolar. And I am Bipolar I so that makes it even worse. If you want to talk/chat just email me.

i\'m a professor and that gives me lots of flexibility but that doesn\'t mean i haven\'t ahd students go to my bosses and complain. my first visit to a therapist was to save my job 4 years ago. i was manic out of control and falling apart everywhere. when i went into the hospital it was touch and go with keeping my job cuz a university wants consistency not someone who has crying jags in the middle of class and has to go the bathroom to get herself together. that all said, eventually i got stable (took 3 years of intensive treatment with meds and therapy practically on call) and work is much easier to deal with. when i get the slightest of symptoms i email my doc and we figure out our next move. so yes, work is possible. but it takes \'work\' to maintain a career. but i was tired of not ever getting promotions and having my illness sabotage my success. and so burning desire and the need to support my 9 year old has kept me motivated to do what needs to be done to stay sane enough to get through the day