Occupational Stress and Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder characterized by alternance of depressive and manic phases, separated by intercritical phases (euthymia). The majority of patients report occupation and professional difficulties. Sixty percent of bipolar patients are inactive . Indeed, according to the World Health Organisation, bipolar disorder is the second cause of days not worked.

Several factors are related to the lower professional functioning observed in bipolar patients: early age of onset, delay of diagnosis and treatment, recurrence of thymic episodes, residual symptoms and cognitive disorders during euthymia, side effects of mood stabilizers.

To our knowledge, no study has ever focused on well-being at work in French patients. However, suffering from a psychiatric disorder and the lack of support from colleagues and the hierarchy are risk factors for burnout, a growing health issue.

Patients with mental illness are often victims of stigmatization, which may involve the professional field. In addition, thymic recurrences may alter professional functioning of active patients: multiplication of work disruptions, conflicts with peers. Conversely work can be stressful, promoting thyic relapses. It is therefore essential to better understand the occupational stresses of active patients suffering from bipolar disorder in order to promote functional remission beyond clinical remission.

The aim of this study is to assess the level of stress and well-being at work in active French bipolar patients.