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Dealing with your career when you're feeling down

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Bipolar Disorder
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Posted 8/20/2007 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hey everyone :)

I'm a 23 yr old women and have just started seeking treatment for my bipolar disorder. For years, I refused to take medication after trying anti-depressant after anti-depressant as a young teen, and basically crashing. I was finally diagnosed when I was 21, but still was stubborn about meds. After a really bad emotional breakdown this year, I decided it was time to stop fooling around with my mental health. I've been on lamictal for 3 1/2 months, and while I'm feeling slight changes in myself, I'm not even close to where I think I should be (my sister is also bipolar and has been on lamictal for a year and a half and is a totally changed person).

Anyway, I have a career as a Sales & Marketing Director for a new online business community. Basically the title means that I handle everything from being the account executive to handling all of the marketing, advertising, and public relations, to doing sales. I also handle two other accounts for the advertising company that started this online community. I do not have help handling this internet company and am constantly doing sales calls and networking to make sales. I also am trying to create brand awareness for a company that many people have said is not worth the investment.

When I am manic, I love it. I adore talking to people because I feel excited, I feel great about myself and my abilities to do things and I'm extremely talkative. I can also easily handle the many, many things I am responsible for at my job. However, when I'm feeling low, I feel so overloaded and stressed that I end up calling in sick many times so I don't have to deal with the work and the sales. I am locked into a contract until May, so a less stressful job that I know I would enjoy more (I'm not cut out for sales) is not an option.

I wanted to know from all of you, how do you handle the stresses of your job when you're feeling low? What are some things you do that help you get out of bed and do what you need to do?

Thank you all for your replies.
Posted 8/21/2007 12:17 AM (GMT 0)

Hi!

Awesome to have you here :-)

I can't really give you any advice as I am not Bipolar.  However, I am sure you will have plenty of suggestions from people who frequest this forum.  I have heard about a treatment called "CBT".  Maybe do a search online to see what you come up with.  It's basically talk therapy but has proven to be very successful.

Are you taking any mood stabilizer medication?  This is different from AD meds.  As I'm sure you know, sometimes, it takes many attempts at finding the right mix of meds that will work with your bio make-up before fidning the right one. 

My partner is manic depressive and holds a postion where he is in continuous meetings and has more than 40 employees he is responsibble for, so calling in sick every time he has an apisode is not an option.  He is on medication and also has therapy sessions on a weekly basis to get him through his dark periods.  He is curently experiencing one and the day is so exhausting for him that he usually goes home and crashes.  Yes, getting out of bed is a fete unto itself.

I wish you the best of luck in advice and am certainly interested in what people have to say about it.

Keep coming back...we're here for anyone that needs us for venting , opening up and just in general.  yeah wcc

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