Would you really want to employ someone with Bipolar?

Winston Churchill, famous leader - Gazza, brilliant footballer and (my favourite) Robbie Williams, singer and song-writer: all 3 of them suffer from Bipolar (the modern word for manic depression). Would you employ them?

These extraordinary individuals have succeeded to the top of their professions despite having a serious mental health condition. It hasn’t stopped their determination, dedication, focus, drive, high level of creativity (yes, being a prime minister is highly creative!) and appeal.

I say all this because all too often people suffering from mental health problems are discriminated against in the workplace: they are not hired because of the fear that they will not make good workers. What if their skills were utilised in a way that satisfied both employer and employee?

Would you employ Robert Boorstin: special assistant to former US president Bill Clinton or Francis Ford Coppola: director  - The Godfather, Apocalypse Now or Patricia Cornwall:  mystery/thriller writer or Stephen Fry - actor and writer? All have Bipolar.

I know a number of people with Bipolar, either personally or virtually through the internet forums. I know even more people who suffer from clinical depression: in fact, 1 in 4 people now suffer with clinical depression and it’s a growing phenomenon. That’s 25% of people. Wow.

So many of these people are highly intelligent, articulate, determined, creative high achievers and, often, other people don’t even know that these people have Bipolar. If they did, would their attitude towards them change?

Here are some more people who have/are suffering from Bipolar:

Frank Bruno, Boxer

Abraham Lincoln, US president

Adam Ant, Musician

Ben Stiller, actor

Drew Barrymore, actress

Lord Tennyson, writer

William Blake, poet and artist

Ludwig Van Beethoven - composer

Vincent Van Gogh - artist

And many, many more.

Now, I appreciate that you may be thinking that some of these people are perhaps a little "off the wall" or "unusual personalities" but that’s just the point: it is this different perspective that can be so useful in any organisation, creating food for thought which would otherwise be absent.

Because people with Bipolar experience such a wide range of emotions and thoughts, their perspective on life is often broad and insightful and allows them to think in a way that other people simply don’t. If harnessed, this can be incredibly useful. Imagine having the creative quality of Vincent Van Gogh in an advertising firm? Imagine having more Churchills or Lincolns - people with vision, charisma, wisdom and insight to make them great leaders? Imagine having the wit and humour of Stephen Fry or Ben Stiller in the office? Imagine if more managers had the compassion for people that sufferers of Bipolar often have because they have suffered such difficult emotions themselves that they can empathise in a way that many people can’t.

I know all these people are the high profile sufferers and clearly the vast majority of sufferers don’t have the high levels of talent that these celebrities have, but as a generalisation, they usually have a level of insight often missing in people who don’t have the illness. 

But are they reliable? Will they have to have long periods of absence due to their illness? Will it affect their co-workers?

The answer to those kinds of questions clearly lies with each individual sufferer. If Bipolar is properly treated with mood stabilisers (and antidepressants if necessary), then sufferers can lead very normal lives with little interruption from mood episodes. Control can be achieved in the same way that control can be achieved in a diabetic; if the right insulin and diet is followed, a diabetic can lead a perfectly normal life. (My 6 year old son has type 1 diabetes).

However, there will inevitably be times when the sufferer might not be able to work in a rigid working pattern as the nature of the illness is such that high levels of stress can trigger an episode. If allowed to work flexibly however, all the talent and skills can be harnessed and the "blips" minimized. I would hope that the Government will extend the right to request flexible working to those suffering with mental health problems to allow these people to balance their working lives with their health needs.

I would encourage employers to at least be open-minded - you may reap the benefits.

• BROWSE / IN TIMELINE
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• BROWSE / IN Mental health
• » Latest research: 49.3% of us wouldn’t feel happy to disclose a mental health condition such as depression at work, rising to almost 54% amongst manual unskilled workers.