r/bipolar • u/Common-Series8622 • Jul 23 '25

Living With Bipolar What kind of job do you have?

Anyone have bipolar 1, had hospitalisaions for mania, and still have a job or career? Or been able to get through university? Wondering what jobs work well with the needs we have

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46

u/DualBladesOfEmotion Bipolar Jul 23 '25

This article has a list of jobs that they look at through several lenses and categorize as “good” or “bad” for people with Bipolar brains.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/jobs-for-people-with-bipolar

Ironically, I’m a teacher, and it says that’s one of the worst jobs to have with a Bipolar brain. Go figure 🤷🏼‍♂️

17

u/Existing_Wrangler343 Jul 23 '25

Thank you for this. I had a meltdown and was let go from my job of 15 years. I had a major meltdown, and now I am scared that i will do it again..

21

u/DualBladesOfEmotion Bipolar Jul 23 '25

It really sucks my friend, and I’m sorry you went through that.

I had a 5 year unemployed depression after I was let go from a job teaching at a major university so even though I have Type 2 Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder (RCBD), I feel I can empathize with your situation in some way.

60% of those of us with Bipolar brains are unemployed. I think you’re doing a good job by reaching out here. It’s a tough existence that requires major changes in how we live just to manage it and even then there’s always the risk of another episode.

Do your best to flip this negative into some sort of positive by addressing anything you think might need to change. There are many awesome people all throughout history that have had our disease, not that I’m trying to compare you or me to anybody famous, just pointing out that it’s not something that guarantees we have a 0% chance of any life success.

Best of luck my friend. I’ll be over here rooting for your success.

6

u/backtoblackholesun Jul 23 '25

Wow, 60%?! That’s insane and makes me feel much better about my recent employment thank you for sharing that!

2

u/DualBladesOfEmotion Bipolar Jul 23 '25

We gotta tackle this with everything we’ve got. I didn’t realize that until I really started doing research on this disease. I’m really into statistics and the numbers I kept seeing in each study just made my jaw drop.

5

u/Common-Series8622 Jul 24 '25

I’m a little bit concerned about that statistic, I honestly with there was a bipolar daycare for us unemployed peeps so we can have something to do together during the day 😂

3

u/Sea-Survey-2037 Jul 24 '25

Ive started geocaching in my spare time.

1

u/DualBladesOfEmotion Bipolar Jul 24 '25

Yeah, that was the statistic that started my journey of learning as much about this disease as I possibly could.

But to keep it real, that one doesn’t even make it in the top 10 of scary stats regarding this disease.

15

u/TriggeredMercy Bipolar + Comorbidities Jul 23 '25

Interesting article!! Its funny to see librarian as a good option here when it requires a Master's degree and is relatively competitive lol

9

u/beepolarbeebee Jul 23 '25

I’m a librarian with bipolar! I’ve gotten very lucky with a job that suits me

9

u/DualBladesOfEmotion Bipolar Jul 23 '25

You are the second person who has pointed to that exact job on the list as one that shouldn’t be on the “good for Bipolar” list.

4

u/MoonbeamPixies Bipolar + Comorbidities Jul 23 '25

I used to work as a library assistant, its extremely hard to land a job once you reach the higher level salaries

11

u/Outside_Mixture_494 Jul 23 '25

I’m also a teacher. With my bipolar, ADHD, & OCD, my psychiatrist, therapist, & PCP have unanimously agreed teaching is the best occupation for me for a plethora of reasons. As I’m nearing retirement age & dealing with other health issues, both mental & physical, I have times where I wish I had chosen a different path, but I’m not sure what that is.

3

u/DualBladesOfEmotion Bipolar Jul 23 '25

Ayyyyy! We walk the path of teachers, knowing a good chunk of our student’s parents think of us as “glorified babysitters”, but we know our worth by the positive effect we have on these kids.

Always good to see another Bipolar teacher in the highest burnout occupation in America there is. Happy for you that retirement is comin up soon.

5

u/LimeGreenSea Jul 23 '25

I feel as though you having Bipolar and doing a job that is supposedly one of the worst for Bipolar people is very Bipolar, lol.

2

u/Extrasmallg Jul 24 '25

THISS 🤣

4

u/Extrasmallg Jul 23 '25

Omg this is so helpful!! I wish I had known this before…I have been job hopping since 21 bc I kept choosing the worst jobs to do as someone with BD 🥲 I always thought it was bc I was just a failure and can’t hold down a job like everyone else

3

u/Questionablesam1 Jul 23 '25

Actually so funny considering I’m a server who’s in nursing school rn lol

2

u/Common-Series8622 Jul 24 '25

Thats amazing that you are a teacher. Thank you for sharing - it’s a lot of responsibility to be influencing the future generation. I wish you well. Thank you so much for the statistics and news article as well, it’s enlightening to see information about employment for us. This brings me hope

2

u/DualBladesOfEmotion Bipolar Jul 24 '25

Gotta tackle this disease with everything we’ve got. It’s taken a lot of people that were way stronger than I’ll ever be.