making career decisions post-hospitalization

Hi, new to the forums here and relatively new to bipolar.

I've always been a moody person but don't really believe I ever experienced full blown hypomania let alone mania until spring of this year. I am 32 years old. I was hospitalized in March for two weeks. I was hypomanic before I went in, briefly manic and psychotic, then I was hypomanic (I believe) until around May. For the past 2-3 months I have been depressed or "normal", though nothing really feels the same yet after hospitalization. I feel a lot like I don't recognize myself. While I never told my employers about the hospitalization, I think they guessed something was up when I disappeared for two weeks.

Part of what brought on my hospitalization is that I started a new job last year that's high profile, high stress etc. Before my bipolar diagnosis, I loved challenges and was really eager to tackle my job. Since my diagnosis, I feel much more concerned with protecting my health and just living a life where I can manage stress. I'd like to switch careers but I get nervous when I read about so many people with BP who can't even hold a job or that w/ finding a new job my potential employer might find out about my hospitalization (another recent post here).

Also, given the nature of my current job, the best fit might be to change fields altogether and I don't really know how to navigate doing that when I am currently depressed, etc.

Are my feelings just a response to the hospitalization? How do I avoid feeling trapped in a high stress job?

My heart goes out to you, I've been in a similar situation. In the end, I chose to sell my fitness business and take on a low-stress job so I could focus on my health. It ended up being the right decision for me because as a business owner, I was spreading myself too thin to even begin to care for my health.

That being said, you did just get out of the hospital and there's definitely and "transition" phase where you question everything that led up to the hospital and want to do anything to stay well.

I say take your time, talk to a therapist if you have one, and decide what your priorities around health and work are.

Good luck!

It takes a long time to recover from a manic episode - from March to now is not that long, especially with a hypomanic period to follow.

If you're not currently troubled, I'd advise waiting until you have a nice 4+ months of stability before making any decisions. That way, you know that you're making decisions based on your real needs and wants, not your illness' effects.

To answer your question, I'd known for a while that I was going to have to stop working, so my hospitalization did not really change my plans. I finished up the work on my desk on a reduced schedule and left my job as scheduled, about four weeks after my discharge.

Jennifer

Thanks for the replies and advice. I will try to wait it out a little longer before making any rash decisions.