Working with bipolar disorder
Working with bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is one mood disorder that can disrupt every aspect of a person’s life. In most cases, if untreated, bipolar disorder can impair normal functioning as well as affect relationships. This significant impact is primarily due to the erratic moods which are characteristic of bipolar disorder. The patient swings between polar opposites – mania and depression. Each mood episode lasts for abnormal amounts of time and affects behaviour in typical ways. A person with bipolar disorder experiencing mania will feel euphoric, overly optimistic, indulge in reckless behaviour and impulsive acts, have decreased sleep, rapid speech and thought, and in severe cases, hallucinations and delusions. In depression the person is overly tired and lethargic, pessimistic, irritable, aggressive, increased sleep, lowered self worth and in severe cases, suicidal ideation. Considering the range of behaviours that bipolar disorder signifies, one of the areas of functioning most affected is the work area. Working with bipolar disorder gets very difficult due to these moods shifts and the varied behaviour. One of the chief impediments of working with bipolar disorder is regulating a normal sleep cycle. In a manic episode the person feels no need to sleep and over extended periods of time, this can erode the ability to maintain concentration and attention. This is often a liability at work as it may impair reasoning and normal functioning. Working with bipolar disorder is also tricky because in a manic episode the person feels very optimistic and becomes very impulsive. This is likely to result in rash decisions which may be badly chosen – not something employers are looking for. Apart from this there is the likelihood of engaging in inappropriate sexual behaviour which is cause for legal action. In severe cases, working with bipolar disorder becomes worse because the person experiences hallucinations and delusion. These are psychotic symptoms and can make the person feel persecuted at work, make decisions that ‘someone’ told them to, see or hear things etc. These are not behaviours any employer is looking for. Working with bipolar disorder during a depressive episode is also equally taxing. To begin with the person is extremely lethargic and tired and coming to work itself may be a burden. This may lead to several absences which may not be appreciated. In a depressive episode the person is also more irritable and aggressive and can lead to difficulties with work colleagues. Working with bipolar disorder in a depressive episode also gets difficult because self worth is very low and there is indecisiveness which leads to low confidence. Finally, if the above behaviours were not difficult to handle in a work place, in severe cases there is the likelihood of hallucinations, delusions and suicidal ideations. All these can be extremely volatile and make it difficult for the person to function normally.
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