Bipolar disorder is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). You may also qualify for Society Security monetary benefits if you’re not able to work.

If you live with bipolar disorder, it’s natural to wonder if you can get disability benefits and what that looks like.

Regardless of the type of bipolar disorder you live with, if the condition significantly affects how you function and the way you see yourself, filing for disability benefits may help you get the support you need to thrive.

Also, if you’re facing discrimination in the workplace because of your bipolar disorder diagnosis, the law protects you.

Bipolar disorder is considered a disability in the United States based on:

  1. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  2. United States Society Security Administration (SSA).

The ADA supports people with disabilities so they can have equal rights at work and can be protected against discrimination in the workplace. This means that you can’t lose your job or professional opportunities because you have bipolar disorder.

On the other hand, SSA provides financial benefits if you live with a disability and can’t work for income.

The ADA and SSA have their own way of defining disability, however.

The ADA considers disability any mental or physical impairment, or history of, that represents a significant challenge for you to function in the world.

To qualify for disability benefits under the SSA, a severe or long-term medical diagnosis must prevent you from maintaining employment.

Can you work while living with bipolar disorder?

Living with bipolar disorder doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t work. In fact, many people learn to cope with bipolar disorder at work and have productive careers.

Even if you experience symptoms of bipolar disorder that affect your daily functioning and activities, the ADA ensures workplaces allow for reasonable accommodations for bipolar disorder.

Reasonable accommodations — such as extra break allowances and time off for health appointments — can help you manage any symptoms that may otherwise affect your work productivity.

If you have bipolar disorder, the Disability Act aims to protect your civil rights and guarantee you have equal opportunities in:

  • employment
  • purchasing goods and services
  • government programs and services participation
  • public transportation access
  • telecommunication services

You don’t have to file any forms to be protected by the ADA.

If you meet their disability definition, you automatically have the benefit of all protections granted under ADA law.

If you feel you’ve experienced discrimination because you live with bipolar disorder, you can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Complaints can be completed through:

Social Security provides both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

If you’ve received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, the SSA has a 5-step evaluation process to determine if you qualify for financial disability benefits.

You’ll be asked:

  • Are you currently working? As of 2021, earning an average monthly income of more than $1,310 often prevents you from collecting disability.
  • Is your condition severe? This means that for a period of at least 12 months, bipolar disorder prevented you from performing basic work tasks such as lifting, sitting, walking, or standing.
  • Is your condition found in the list of disabling conditions? Yes, bipolar disorder is included in the list.
  • Can you do work you’ve done previously? SSA will assess your residual functional capacity (RFC), or how your condition has affected your work abilities.
  • Can you do any other type of work? Being unable to work one type of job doesn’t always exclude you from other forms of employment.

SSDI benefits

SSDI benefits are for those living with a disability who have paid into Social Security. You must have worked long enough to accumulate an average of 40 credits.

At a max of 4 credits per year, most people must work 10 years to be able to apply for SSDI benefits.

If you’re living with bipolar disorder and want to qualify for disability benefits, you must meet certain criteria put in place by the SSA.

Primarily, you must have medical documentation that states you experience three or more of the following symptoms:

  • pressured speech or talking faster than usual
  • flight of ideas or jumping from one topic to another while sounding anxious
  • signs of grandiosity
  • decreased need for sleep
  • being easily distracted
  • engaging in activities that may result in harmful situations for you or others
  • agitation or goal-directed behaviors

You must also present severe limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, areas of mental functioning, such as:

  • remembering, understanding, and using information
  • focusing, being persistent, or keeping your pace
  • adapting to change and self-managing behaviors
  • social interaction

If you don’t present limitations in any of the above, you can also show proof that you received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder at least 2 years earlier, the condition is serious and persistent, and you:

  • have received ongoing treatment that provides relief of symptoms
  • are unable to adapt to new changes in daily life

Benefits through SSDI are for those under retirement age.

If you’re receiving SSDI benefits when you reach full retirement age, your disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits, but the amount remains the same.

SSI benefits

If you’re living with bipolar disorder and have never worked, or have little to no income, you may be eligible for SSI disability benefits.

Basic requirements for SSI disability benefits include:

  • living with a disability or being at least age 65
  • having limited or no income
  • having limited possessions, assets, and resources
  • being a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or a qualified noncitizen
  • residing in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands

How to apply for SSDI or SSI disability when you have bipolar disorder

If you live with bipolar disorder and need to apply for SSDI or SSI benefits, you can apply:

  • via online form submission
  • in person, at a local SSA office
  • over the phone: 800-772-1213

If you’re living with bipolar disorder and would like to learn more about disability rights and benefits, you might find the following resources useful:

SSA

ADA

Bipolar disorder is covered as a disability under both the ADA and SSA when you meet specific criteria.

The ADA can protect you from discrimination in many areas, including at your workplace and learning environments.

Living with bipolar disorder may make you eligible for SSDI or SSI financial benefits under the Social Security Administration.

Whether you qualify or not for bipolar disorder disability depends on your work history and current circumstances. For both SSDI and SSI, the definition of disability is the same.