Having Supportive Friends at Work Eases My Bipolar Disorder

It is essential to my wellbeing to have supportive friends in the workplace. We all need a support network that we can rely on when feeling down. I have always had one supportive colleague I can trust and rely on for support when experiencing symptoms of bipolar or depression. I navigate my mental health in the workplace by finding one person I can confide in. I set up one hour per week where we can talk openly about workplace stressors and my mental health. A supportive friend at work can be an advocate and provide emotional support.

A Supportive Friend in the Workplace Can Be an Advocate

It is always helpful to have a supportive friend at work who can be an advocate. An advocate can help you communicate any accommodations you need to your supervisor. I have had a trusted colleague help talk me through a difficult situation, including coming up with a plan on how to work through it.

A trusted colleague can help you work through something before bringing it up with your supervisor. I know that when I have felt safe and understood by a colleague, I have felt more confident going into meetings with my supervisor. At the end of the day, this supportive relationship at work can help you to receive the accommodations you need to be successful in your career.

Having Emotional Support from a Friend at Work

Having a supportive friend at work to talk through hard moments with is imperative. There can be a lot of ups and downs at work. There are constant projects with competing deadlines and time constraints. Experiencing symptoms of depression on top of normal work stressors is emotionally exhausting. Sometimes I wonder how I am going to make it through the day. A friend can help you process these tough emotions and gain perspective on your workload and current stressors. They may also suggest effective coping mechanisms that have worked for them.

We often underestimate the importance of having a friend to celebrate achievements. I have recently been putting myself out there for more speaking engagements. My colleagues boost me up and celebrate my success as a new speaker in the mental health field. It's nice to have a colleague who has seen you in the depths of your depression but has also seen you conquer it and achieve milestones.

Everyone can benefit from having a supportive friend in the workplace. People with bipolar, like myself, can greatly benefit and even feel comforted by understanding friends. Having a supportive colleague at work can create a more compassionate environment to work in and a place that you want to show up to every day.