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Mental health

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Original poster

Bi Polar and work

26 replies

peachybums · 02/03/2011 21:41

A few years ago i was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I do struggle from time to time but seem to be manaqing it affectivly with medication now. I have good days and bad days, sometimes i have totally shit bad days.

The trouble is ive been at home with my girls and money is tight i havnt worked since DS was a baby that was about 6 years ago, i really need to go back to work. Im qualified in early years and a qualified teaching assistant but feel these jobs will be out of the question now my mental health is getting worse.

Im really struggling with this in my head, while most of me wants to go to work a part of me is terrified of going back to work. I dont know how id cope as now if im scared of going out of the house or if im really down i can just stay in. If i go to work id have to go in day in day out ontime.

Does anyone else manage it? How? What job do you do?

Thanks

OP posts:

melvinscomment · 03/03/2011 02:24

@ peachybums ... I would say the fact that you have been diagnosed bipolar doesn't necessarily mean all that much, ie it just means mood swings from depressed to elated, and the swings could be anything from relatively minor to relatively major. I think you should try and get a job to get out and about and worry about any bad days if or when they happen, in which case you could take the day off sick.

Acinonyx · 03/03/2011 09:18

I'm also bp. I find getting out of the house to work, especially actively working with people really helps. For me, that means teaching. For a long time now I've been mainly working from home and even my teaching is mainly online. I'm also anxious about holding a job through the bad days - but OTOH - I really want more work like that as I think being at home all the time isn't helping at all.

It may well be that you mental health would improve if you went out to work (especially PT) - even if it is a bit challenging at first. I would definitely try it.

Wombletini · 03/03/2011 10:54

Have you thought about volunteering as a way of dipping your toe in the water so to speak.

MitchiestInge · 03/03/2011 12:31

I found working for myself with a bit of flexibility about days and times was best, haven't worked for almost a year now though. We are probably not the most employable - I hate the idea of disclosing my diagnosis although it has been ages since was last in hospital.

What did you do before?

melvinscomment · 03/03/2011 13:42

@ MitchiestInge et al ... Re "We are probably not the most employable" :- It is easy for a medic to put the label "bipolar" on anyone. In fact being bipolar is normal!, ie some days one may feel down a bit, some days somewhat elated. Strictly speaking a medic should only label someone as bipolar if their mood swings are quite extreme. Whether or not that actually happens depends on the true condition of the patient and on the mental state of the medic!

MitchiestInge · 03/03/2011 13:44

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

melvinscomment · 03/03/2011 14:29

@ peachybums ... Re your comment "most of me wants to go to work" ... Why not give it a try. If it works out OK it will be like occupational therapy.

LibraPoppyGirl · 03/03/2011 21:13

melvinscomment - are you a hcp specialising in MH?

In what way can you back up your post to peachy about being dx with bi-polar not necessarily meaning much?

Please explain.

MogadoredMemoo · 03/03/2011 21:21

Melvin spouts crap, ignore him.

practicallyimperfect · 03/03/2011 21:25

I have bipolar and work as a secondary teacher. It is tough, but my school are very supportive.

LibraPoppyGirl · 03/03/2011 21:25

Thanks for the heads up Memoo. I saw this thread and thought I could contribute and I'm in at his comments. I suffer with bi-polar and his callous comment and total dismissal of what is a serious illness has absolutely floored me

I had to read it through a couple of times just to make sure I was reading it right

MogadoredMemoo · 03/03/2011 21:26

Libra, he has been making inaccurate and insensitive comments all over. I don't know what his agenda is but he seems intent on causing upset x

LibraPoppyGirl · 03/03/2011 21:27

And being bi-polar is normal blah blah blah to MitchiestInge

This guy is a wind-up surely!!!

LibraPoppyGirl · 03/03/2011 21:30

I'll leave any thread with him on alone then Memoo. I'm 26wks pg and my history is long and I'm under the peri-natal mental health team now because of the risks involved with pregnancy and especially at birth and straight after.

I'm not going to go into too much here, it'll just give him more information to twist.

How sad I pray he goes away soon x

MogadoredMemoo · 03/03/2011 21:31

He has already had 4 threads deleted today.

MogadoredMemoo · 03/03/2011 21:32

I've email mnhq about him Libra, there are some vulnerable people on here who do not need to hear the crap he is spouting

LibraPoppyGirl · 03/03/2011 21:38

Really appreciate your support Memoo I'll give him a wide berth.

I'm off to have a read elsewhere, me thinks x

MogadoredMemoo · 03/03/2011 21:39

Take care libra xx

melvinscomment · 03/03/2011 22:13

@ LibraPoppyGirl :- What I was trying to say about "bipolar disorder" is that it means mood swings from depressed to elated and back again in a cyle. However, the severity or extent of the mood swings varies from one person to another. What one psychiatrist may describe as a "disorder" another may describe as being within a normal range of mood changes. So it is these marginal diagnoses which may not mean much.

butterpieify · 04/03/2011 00:31

My recommendation is to go slowly. I thought I was better, so I got a full time job. Then I started taking on more and more overtime, started getting really energised, staying up later, getting loads of bright ideas, taking on debt, spending money, then even more overtime, even less sleep, writing poetry about all the beautiful things I saw on the walk to work, etc etc... next thing I knew, I had had a full on manic episode, been sectioned, and set myself back a couple of years.

However, I have been working part time on and off for a while, so all is not lost :)

LibraPoppyGirl · 04/03/2011 14:22

100% agree with butterpieify have experienced the same in my own personal experience with bi-polar.

Slowly, slowly and DO NOT deviate from that slowness

Acinonyx · 04/03/2011 14:24

Yes I also agree - best not to dive into FT work - build up slowly. I've also found that taking on too much can make me take off like a helicopter...

LibraPoppyGirl · 04/03/2011 14:42

A helicopter on overdrive Acinonyx too true.

I think also that you don't actually realise what is really happening because you get so caught up in the "oh wow I'm feeling so much better working and I feel able to cope with this" and then before you know it, you're flying high and it's all too much.

Then unfortunately, it all comes crashing down. I've also experienced, that the more intense the high the deeper the crash .

I would never consider anything again, other that part-time work. I'm 26wks pg at the moment, so it's not something I am even contemplating at the moment. I know my limits now, it's taken many years to get there but now that I do, I know how careful I have to be

Original poster

peachybums · 04/03/2011 21:26

Thanks everyone for your comments. I think im going to try look into going back to work slowly. Before i worked as a childminder and also worked as a nursery nurse so maybe part time working in a nursery would be ok to start with, although the money is not great. I stopped working when pregnant with 3rd DC because i hit a really bad low and felt i couldnt go on and if it wasnt for DP i think i would of taken all my meds at once and just ended it all :(

melvin My mood swings are not normal, i am infact a danger to myself when both manic and depressed and have been admitted into hospital. I have serious paranoia and dont trust anyone except my immediate family. Most days are a battle just to keep going or a battle to stop my head whirring. I dont think these are the thoughts of a healthy mind. If i took days off sick when i didnt feel 'right' id probs be off about 2-3 weeks of a month almost eery month!

OP posts:

practicallyimperfect · 05/03/2011 18:45

Part time is good. I am 3 days now and cope well. However in Sept I have go full time again, so I and scared.

Good luck.

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