Bipolar Disorder

Encyclopedia Entry

Overview

Bipolar Disorder is also called Manic-Depressive Disorder. People with this condition swing back and forth between "high episodes" and "low episodes."

During high episodes they feel happy, energetic, and impulsive. They are convinced they can do anything they want and will come up with plans for great things they are going to accomplish - like being elected president or getting rich from something they will invent. They may talk and think very quickly, making it hard for other people to keep up. They can also be forgetful and have trouble concentrating. In addition, they may make bad decisions, such as buying things they can't afford or going off on sudden trips without telling anyone. They may have trouble sleeping during all of this, and may use drugs or alcohol.

During down episodes they feel very depressed, isolated, sad, and worthless. They may be convinced no one can help them and there is no hope. They will forget things and may think a lot about death or suicide. They may have trouble getting out of bed in the morning or shut themselves off from their friends. They will stop enjoying the things they normally do for fun.

In between these episodes they may have perfectly normal moods, but the episodes can come on quickly sometimes.

These episodes usually start up when a person is in his or her late teens or twenties and will continue throughout the person's life. As bad as the mood swings can be, many people don't realize they have a problem and don't seek help. For people who get help, various drugs can help them keep their moods at average levels so they can get on with their lives. It can take a long time for the person and their doctor to find a combination of medicines that will keep their moods stable. Often, they have to go into a psychiatric hospital periodically to get back to a stable level.

Effects on Employment

It's easy to see that this disorder causes problems at work. The sudden changes in personality, the forgetfulness, the poor concentration, and the bad judgment can all disrupt a person's job. Friends, family, and coworkers will have trouble dealing with how suddenly the person can change.

Because of this, vocational rehabilitation has to wait until the person and their doctor have found a combination of drugs that keep them "stable" - however long that takes. And, of course, they have to keep taking the drugs regularly. Once a the person is stable, they should be able to work full time without any problems, although there may be some side effects from the drugs they take. Reasonable job accommodations for someone with a Bipolar Disorder might be additional breaks during the day or occasional time off for hospital stays when the person needs them.

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