Bipolar Disorder & Effects on Higher Education

Bipolar disorder can have an effect in higher education because the person is struggling with a mental illness while at the same time trying to carry an academic course load. Someone with bipolar disorder will want to pay special attention to certain features of the academic process in order to ensure maximum success. The person might want to ask for extra help in certain areas.

Organizing Time

• Someone with bipolar disorder might want to give extra attention to setting up a schedule to follow so schoolwork can be done in a timely fashion. Having a calendar can help with this and so can designating a certain time each week to go over goals and schedule in weekly tasks such as outlining a paper, doing readings, etc.

Organizing Thoughts

• People with bipolar disorder are very creative but often their thoughts are unorganized. This is a problem in a place of higher learning where it is expected that thoughts be totally organized in a coherent paper or essay. Thus it is helpful for people with bipolar to adopt a style of organizing their thoughts with brainstorming sheets and outlines to make sure his or her thoughts are streamlined and shown to the best of their ability.

Disability Services

• It often helps someone with bipolar disorder to register with the Disability Services office on campus because people there can provide extra support. The people at Disability Services may be able to get the person more time on tests and notes from classes. They may function as a general support system and may be able to provide an academic or time-management counselor.

Other Disorders

• Often people with bipolar disorder have other mental health disorders so it is important for them to see a therapist who is keeping an eye on all aspects of their life, to prevent other mental illnesses from interfering in school success.

Part-time

• Because people with bipolar disorder are already working so hard to manage their own lives, it is wise to give some thought to going to school part time. This lets the person with bipolar disorder take a lighter course load, which may be easier to manage.