Bipolar at Work – How to Survive and (Sometimes) Thrive
Let’s talk about work – that necessary beast. For most of us, it’s where we spend a third of our waking hours, if not more. It’s also one of the places bipolar disorder likes to show up, uninvited, with muddy boots and a loud opinion.
Work and bipolar can be a rocky combination. The routine can help anchor us, but the pressure, social dynamics, and unspoken expectations can sometimes trigger or magnify symptoms. Trying to appear “normal” while riding out a depressive episode or flying high on mania? That deserves a medal. Or at least a decent lunch break and a non-judgemental manager.
In this post, I want to explore what it’s really like trying to hold down a job while managing bipolar – and how we can build workplaces (and mindsets) that don’t just demand resilience but also offer a little compassion in return.
When Work Collides with Mood Swings
Let’s start with the reality: bipolar disorder doesn’t check your Outlook calendar. It doesn’t care that there’s a team meeting or that you’re two days from a deadline. It turns up whenever it likes.
During a depressive phase:
- Everything feels slower. You stare at emails for hours. Simple tasks become labyrinths. Error messages feel like personal attacks.
- You might start calling in sick more. Or show up and say nothing, a ghost in a swivel chair.
- Concentration? Forget it. You read the same sentence twelve times and still couldn’t tell someone what it meant.
During mania or hypomania:
- You’re suddenly a productivity god. You’ve had four ideas before 9am, rewritten the sales pitch, and colour-coded the break room fridge.
- You interrupt people mid-sentence with the most amazing insights. You overshare in meetings. You feel invincible…
- And let’s not even talk about how hard it is to sleep the night before a big presentation when your brain is doing the Macarena at 3am. Who needs sleep anyway?
The Mask We Wear
Many of us become masters of disguise at work. We smile when we want to cry. We caffeinate our way through meetings. We keep our diagnosis hidden because, frankly, we’re not always sure how it will be received.
Some of us fear discrimination. Others worry we’ll be written off as unreliable, unstable, or incapable. So we overcompensate – working longer hours, saying yes too often, and pushing through until we burn out completely.
It’s exhausting. And while there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to disclosure, I’ll say this: you don’t owe anyone your entire story – but you do deserve support if you need it.
Surviving the Workplace (Without Losing Yourself)
Let’s talk strategies. These aren’t silver bullets, but they might help turn the job from a landmine field into something more manageable – maybe even meaningful.
- Know Your Triggers
Is it the back-to-back Zooms? The overwhelming inbox? The passive-aggressive Slack messages? Identifying what sends you into a spiral (or a frenzy) helps you pre-empt the fallout. - Create Micro-Boundaries
You don’t need to solve workplace culture. Just carve out little acts of self-preservation. Block a short break on your calendar. Step outside for ten minutes. Say no – kindly but firmly – when you’re running on empty. - Use Flexibility Where You Can
If you have a decent employer and feel safe to do so, ask for what you need. A later start time. A quiet space. A mental health day without having to lie about a “stomach bug.” Reasonable adjustments are your legal right in many countries. - Build a Low-Drama Support System
Find the colleague who gets it. Or at least the one who won’t raise an eyebrow if you need to take a breather. If that person doesn’t exist, consider online forums or mental health peer networks. Often just knowing someone else is juggling work and bipolar too can be a lifeline. - Have a Plan for the Wobbly Days
It helps to have a script or plan for when things start to slip. A note to your future self. A gentle “what to do when…” list. Even just a checklist: meds taken, email checked, don’t quit job today. That sort of thing.
To Employers and Colleagues: A Note From the Other Side
If you’re reading this as someone who works with a person who has bipolar – thank you. Here’s what helps:
- Don’t make assumptions. Everyone’s experience of bipolar is different and things can change, often with little warning.
- Respect boundaries. If we say we’re struggling, believe us.
- Offer flexibility, not pity. A little autonomy and understanding often go further than a pep talk.
- And if someone does disclose, treat it as a sign of trust, not liability.
Workplaces that support mental health don’t just help those of us with bipolar – they help everyone feel more human.
Final Thoughts: You Are More Than Your Job (or Your Diagnosis)
Managing bipolar while working is not easy. Some days it feels like juggling flaming swords on a unicycle. But you are not your bad days. You are not the mistakes made mid-mania or the deadlines missed during depression.
You are a whole person – talented, trying, sometimes tired – and doing the best you can in a system that doesn’t always understand.
If work feels impossible right now, you’re not alone. And if it feels hopeful, that’s worth holding onto too.
Let’s keep going – one quiet, beautiful, defiant lunch break at a time.
Coming next:
Photo by Resume Genius on Unsplash