Absolutely. In fact, bipolar disorder is considered to be one of the few mental health conditions that is highly likely to cause a significant and long-term psychosocial disability.
Bipolar disorder is considered a disability under the ADA, just like blindness or multiple sclerosis. You may also qualify for Social Security benefits if you can't work.
Is Bipolar a Serious Mental Illness? Bipolar disorder is considered a serious mental illness (SMI) although many people can find help through lifestyle changes combined with medications. A diagnosis of bipolar should be taken seriously. When left untreated, this impairment can be life threatening.
Bipolar disorder, however, is a much more entrenched disorder that can consist of many weeks of depression followed by episodes of mania, or vice versa. These episodes can be quite debilitating, and without treatment, can significantly increase the risk of suicide.
Left untreated, bipolar disorder can result in serious problems that affect every area of your life, such as: Problems related to drug and alcohol use. Suicide or suicide attempts. Legal or financial problems.
Brain Changes
Research shows bipolar disorder may damage the brain over time. Experts think it's because you slowly lose amino acids. They help build the proteins that make up the insulation around your neurons.
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that causes unusual shifts in mood, ranging from extreme highs (mania) to lows (depression).
Bipolar I disorder is the most severe form of the illness. Bipolar II disorder is characterized by predominantly depressive episodes accompanied by occasional hypomanic episodes. Hypomanic episodes are milder than manic episodes but can still impair functioning.
A bipolar depression crash is usually the emotional fallout of a hypomanic or manic episode. It can also occur when something triggers bipolar depression or as a result of chemical or hormonal changes in the brain.
Severe bipolar episodes of mania or depression may include psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions. Usually, these psychotic symptoms mirror a person's extreme mood. People with bipolar disorder who have psychotic symptoms can be wrongly diagnosed as having schizophrenia.
Absolutely. In fact, bipolar disorder is considered to be one of the few mental health conditions that is highly likely to cause a significant and long-term psychosocial disability.
Best jobs for people with bipolar disorder
librarian or library assistant. archivist. museum or gallery curator. gardener or landscaper.
Bipolar disorder is included in the Social Security Listings of Impairments, which means that if your illness has been diagnosed by a qualified medical practitioner and is severe enough to keep you from working, you are eligible to receive disability benefits.
The SSA recognizes bipolar disorder as disabling if an applicant documents both manic and depressive episodes, along with two of the following effects: Inability to complete a full range of daily living activities. Difficulty behaving appropriately in social settings.
Poor judgment and impulse control, frequent mood swings, irritability, inability to concentrate, hyperactivity, and other common symptoms of the manic phases of bipolar disorder all affect your ability to perform your job and interact with others.
The life expectancy for someone with bipolar disorder is approximately 67 years old. A 2021 study researched the effect of bipolar disorder on longevity and found that: risk of death is 2.6 times greater than the general population. the average life span is between 8–12 years shorter than the general population.
A stressful circumstance or situation often triggers the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Examples of stressful triggers include: the breakdown of a relationship. physical, sexual or emotional abuse. the death of a close family member or loved one.
Signs a Manic Episode Is Ending
Slowing down and feeling less urgent and pressured all the time. Feeling more tired and getting more sleep. Being able to think more clearly, even if your memories of the manic episode are fuzzy. Making fewer impulsive decisions.
Some people with bipolar disorder develop “rapid cycling” where they experience four or more episodes of mania or depression within a 12-month period. Mood swings can occur very quickly, like a rollercoaster randomly moving from high to low and back again over a period of days or even hours.
Hospitalization is considered an emergency option in bipolar disorder care. It becomes necessary in extreme cases where the disorder is causing someone to be an immediate threat to themselves or others. It may also be used when medications need monitoring or adjustment.
Bipolar disorder is frequently inherited, with genetic factors accounting for approximately 80% of the cause of the condition. Bipolar disorder is the most likely psychiatric disorder to be passed down from family. If one parent has bipolar disorder, there's a 10% chance that their child will develop the illness.
“Many people think that a person with bipolar disorder doesn't have any control over themselves or that they're unable to take care of themselves or function in society. This simply is not true,” says Ikaika King, who was diagnosed with bipolar II when he was 17.
Serious mental illness includes schizophrenia; the subset of major depression called “severe, major depression”; the subset of bipolar disorder classified as “severe” and a few other disorders. Therefore total “severe” mental illness in adults by diagnosis: 5.3% of the population without accounting for overlap.
People living with or caring for someone with bipolar disorder can have a tough time. During episodes of illness, the personalities of people with bipolar disorder may change, and they may become abusive or even violent. Sometimes social workers and the police may become involved.
Such overlaps occur in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, sometimes making it difficult to differentiate between the two. However, these conditions are distinct from one another, and they do not always co-occur. While bipolar disorder cannot develop into schizophrenia, it's possible to experience symptoms of both.