Is work working for you?

Bipolar Scotland’s Impact and Development Manager Maja Mitchell-Grigorjeva investigates how the world of work does and doesn’t work for people living with bipolar

Work is a common theme that comes up during conversations within our peer support services. For many people, work can be an important part of what keeps them well. It provides structure and routine, social contact, opportunities for learning and growth, a sense of purpose and, importantly, an income. For people with bipolar, it’s not always so positive. We have spoken to people who have shared stories of being unfairly dismissed as a result of their bipolar diagnosis, feeling pressured to leave their job due to high levels of sickness absences and dealing with unsupportive employers who are not willing to make reasonable adjustments. Many people with bipolar face stigma at work, and fear being open about their mental health. There’s also the shame, embarrassment and lack of understanding that can come from returning to work and facing colleagues and managers after a bipolar episode.

In 2022, the Bipolar Commission surveyed more than 7000 people with bipolar in the UK and found that:

· 63% felt they had lost their job due to bipolar

· 44% hadn’t applied for a promotion due to bipolar

· 35% felt they’d been overlooked for a promotion because of their bipolar

Source: Bipolar Minds Matter Report, November 2022 Bipolar Minds Matter report, November 2022

We also know that there are many people who live with bipolar and are incredibly successful in their jobs. Our Peer Workers at Bipolar Scotland are all examples of how the insight and knowledge gained from living with bipolar can be an asset and a strength. There’s a side of bipolar that can sometimes help people in feeling productive and inspired in the workplace.

Bipolar Scotland want to dispel the myth that people living with bipolar are unreliable, or less able, than their colleagues without bipolar.

We want to challenge employers to reconsider the adjustments they may need to make to ensure a person with bipolar can remain in work. Often, these adjustments are minimal to the organisation but can make a massive difference to the employee. We also want to ask employers to see the person, not the illness. No two people with bipolar will have exactly the same experiences or need exactly the same adjustments.

In March this year, Sam Christie (one of our Peer Workers) and I prepared and delivered a presentation to more than 240 people at an Employers Networking event. Sam was able to share her lived experience of working with bipolar, and we were able to speak about what bipolar is, what it might look like at work and, most importantly, what employers can do that actually helps.

Bipolar Scotland are in the early stages of developing a new project that aims to support people with bipolar who may be experiencing challenges at work as a result of stigma or discrimination, as well as developing training to help employers feel better informed and able to support their employees.

If you would like to share your story of working with bipolar, or share your ideas for how people with bipolar can be better supported in the workplace, we want to hear from you. Please get in touch on Majam@bipolarscotland.org.uk