How has your mental health affected your career?

[superstarheartbreaker]

Hi all. I am diagnosed as bipolar but I suspect I have bpd and mabe post traumatic stress disorder as a result of abuse. This has resulted in several ruined careers.
When I finally got over the abuse (or so I thought) my boderline pd manifested in me falling out with colleagues, paranoia and generally getting too involved and upset by politics. I can't wait to get treatment and/or my life back!

Getting my career on top form would also be great, as would fostering positive relations with colleagues. It does worry me that my colleagues with find out how ill I get.

I am lucky in that I've managed to hold down a career despite having bipolar.

When I was younger, I went through 4 jobs in quick succession, being signed off sick at the end of each one due to depression or hypomania. Luckily I had a long period of stability which meant I was able to settle into a career and give it a good go.

I've been very lucky in my current job that despite having almost a year off sick in total over the last 5 years, they are supportive. It's been a struggle financially at times, but I've made it through. Part of it is being able to perform very well when I'm stable.

Its bloody hard work though. Sometimes I can barely drag myself out of bed, but its only by keeping going each day, no matter how I am feeling, that I can keep it up.

Yes! It ruined my academic career. I was very ill too long. I changed to industry and did ok until I got ill again. I do feel bitter sometimes.

A diagnosis of bpd ended my career as I was seen as high risk etc and unstable!! Had a career when just had depression as diagnosis.

Now I have a job if that makes sense. Work part time to help keep well which is good.

Yes - I just couldn't go in on some days so was disciplined over attendance and always felt like I was playing catch up

Yes sadly . I had to leave for my health and sanity ....and family .
Just couldnt sustain the workload and pressure anymore . Nothing left to give and pretty broken by the end .

Yes, me too :( I left my first career as I didn't like it and eventually hit a brick wall, having forced myself to keep going for over 10 years. I did get the CBT, therapy etc I needed and started a second career which I loved. However with the recession and my inability to get a loan, I am left with half a degree and no way of finishing. Meanwhile I can't get back into my first career as I took too long out. If I could go back to this part time I could manage the depression - or full time on the basis I could earn enough after a year or two to finish my degree. Then I hope I could live happily ever after doing something I love.

I am now left with unskilled work on minimum wage if I am lucky. I have had to resign from a minimum wage job (as a skivvy) as it was close to 12 hours a day and I was being bullied. One day, again, I just hit that brick wall and couldn't go back in.

My big worry is I will never be fit to work full time in a job I dislike (and the only jobs I can get now are minimum wage locked up in an office (which I hate)). I find when I work full time doign things I don't like the stress means all I do is work and sleep and have no fun/social life whatsoever. Living like this can't be done indefinately so eventually I crack up. Also most minimum wage jobs don't give sick pay, and if I take any days off then I can't pay my rent and buy food - which is a huge worry and makes me more stressed - a real vicious cycle.