Purpose: To explore the working experiences of individuals with bipolar disorder (BD).
Method: This study was conducted using a qualitative phenomenological design. Personal in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 individuals diagnosed with BD who were actively employed. Data were collected face-to-face through semi-structured interviews and examined using content analysis.
Results: Four main themes and eight subthemes were revealed. Themes were Current (subthemes: stigmatization, mobbing), Rudder (subthemes: social rhythm, symptom management), Sail (subthemes: coworkers, family), and Anchor (sub-themes: career development, empowerment).
Conclusion: Individuals with BD can be supported by increasing the number of sheltered workplaces and enhancing regulations made by the state for their employment. Increased efforts for occupational rehabilitation could provide functional recovery and a satisfactory life for this population.