Syndicated from the Bipolar Blog

An intense period of mania or depression can make you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck. You may feel exhausted. You may be unable to concentrate or remember certain details. You may become intolerant of colleagues and others you must deal with on the job. Your family life is also very likely to be chaotic and stressful.

Most people, including those who have been diagnosed bipolar, don’t like to think of themselves as disabled, especially given the fact that people with bipolar disorder often tend to be over achievers. During severe episodes of depression or mania, however, dealing with the illness can make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to hold down a job, at least until you’re able to achieve some mood stability.

In “Identifying Your Bipolar Stressors and Triggers,” we encouraged you to identify the sources of stress in your life and avoid them as much as possible. But what do you do when one of your biggest sources of stress – your job – pays the bills, covers your health insurance premiums, structures your life, and contributes to your sense of self worth? Can you afford to quit? Can you afford not to quit? This is the dilemma that many people with bipolar disorder face.