Bipolar affective disorder

F31.9 · Mental health

Clinical description

Episodes of elevated mood/energy alternating with depression — bipolar spectrum disorder.

ICD-10 classification¹

Work & claim impact

Hover highlighted terms for claim context · ? for more info

Sleep disruption, impulsive decision-making, relapse risk if mood unstable.

Functional capacity Diagnosis trap Functional-capacity builder

Claim note: Insurers test occupational incapacity — document how it blocks material duties , not the diagnosis label ↗ alone.

Examples

For Bipolar affective disorder: cannot perform [your core duty] because low mood and anxiety.
Duty link: cannot perform client-facing workshops because panic attacks and poor concentration.
Diagnosis (F32.1) on a certificate — still need: cannot attend 08:00 meetings due to morning sedation.

Diagnosis trap Symptom → duty Material duties Incapacity Diagnosis vs duty Functional capacity builder · Language map

Category context

Conditions affecting mood, anxiety, thinking, or behaviour — insurers still need duty-impact evidence, not diagnosis alone.

Common symptoms (story builder)

Hover for a plain-language explanation · + adds to your health story.

Low mood Anxiety Poor concentration Fatigue Insomnia Panic attacks

Relevant specialists & assessors

Treating and assessing roles commonly involved with this condition on SA income-protection claims — click a role to see what they do.^†

General Practitioner (GP) Medical doctor Primary care doctor — first point for sick notes, referrals, and ongoing treatment. What they do → Psychiatrist Mental health Medical doctor specialising in mental illness — can diagnose, prescribe, and admit. What they do → Clinical Psychologist Mental health HPCSA-registered psychologist — assessment, therapy, and reports (cannot prescribe scheduled medicine). What they do → Registered Counsellor Mental health HPCSA-registered counsellor — supportive therapy and wellness reports. What they do → Occupational Therapist Allied health Assesses daily and work functioning — ADLs and return-to-work capacity. What they do → Neuropsychologist Mental health Tests memory, attention, and executive function — useful for cognitive injury claims. What they do → Industrial / Organisational Psychologist Mental health Workplace stress, burnout, and occupational functioning assessments. What they do → Independent Medical Examiner (IME) Assessor Assessor Insurer- or employer-appointed assessor — not treating doctor. What they do →

Full clinicians & practices directory →

Linked medications (SA)

Generic active ingredients, registered brand formulations, SA strengths, and typical dosing — cross-linked to medication pages.^†

Lithium

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Mood stabiliser for bipolar disorder — narrow therapeutic index; requires blood monitoring.

Brands: Lithium carbonate

SA strengths: 250 mg tablet · 400 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Individual mg dosing by serum lithium levels.

Valproate

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Anticonvulsant mood stabiliser — teratogenicity risk; monitor liver function.

Brands: Epilim (sodium valproate)

SA strengths: 200 mg tablet · 500 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Often 500 mg BD–TDS; adjust per levels and tolerability.

Lamotrigine

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Anticonvulsant mood stabiliser — slow titration to reduce rash risk.

Brands: Lamictin (lamotrigine)

SA strengths: 25 mg tablet · 50 mg tablet · 100 mg tablet · 200 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Titration per bipolar protocol; maintenance commonly 100–200 mg daily.

Quetiapine

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Antipsychotic — low doses sometimes used off-label for sleep; metabolic monitoring.

Brands: Seroquel (quetiapine)

SA strengths: 25 mg tablet · 100 mg tablet · 200 mg tablet · 300 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Psychosis/bipolar doses differ widely from low-dose sedating use.

Linked therapy

Session-based referrals — not medicines. Separate from linked medications above; still evidence for functional capacity and recovery. Therapy directory → · Not scheduled →^†

Psychotherapy / CBT

Psychotherapy & counselling Not scheduled ℹ

Structured talking therapy (e.g. CBT) for mental health and adjustment.

Session formats: 50 min session · 60 min session

Typical plan: Typically 50–60 min weekly or fortnightly sessions.

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy Not scheduled ℹ

Functional rehabilitation — workplace pacing, ergonomics, ADL retraining.

Session formats: 45 min session · 60 min session

Typical plan: 45–60 min sessions per treating plan.

Common causes or triggers

Typical precipitants seen in SA income-protection claims — hover labels for context; use ? for claim tips. ^†

Work stress and role overload
Deadline pressure, client load, shift work
Employer BP checks and insurer disability tests use different standards. Capture dates when monitoring requirements conflicted with attendance or safety duties.

Trap detail →
, or organisational change can precipitate or worsen episodes — document onset relative to duties.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Life events and trauma
Bereavement, relationship breakdown, violence, or acute stressors — separate post-trauma timelines from pre-existing vulnerability where relevant.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Sleep disruption
Insomnia, shift work
Employer BP checks and insurer disability tests use different standards. Capture dates when monitoring requirements conflicted with attendance or safety duties.

Trap detail →
, or medication side-effects compound concentration and mood — map sleep logs to morning functional impairment .
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Multifactorial contributors
Genetic, environmental, and work factors often combine — build a chronology rather than a single cause label.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated

Comorbidities or complicating factors

Conditions that often overlap and amplify functional limits — pair with specialist reports and your functional matrix. ^†

Anxiety or sleep disorder
Common overlap — separate diagnoses but shared functional impact on concentration and attendance.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Substance use
Alcohol or sedative use may compound depression — insurers query self-medication patterns.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Chronic pain
Fibromyalgia or MSK pain frequently co-occurs — avoid diagnosis -only submissions.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Overlapping conditions
Check for mood, sleep, pain, or metabolic comorbidity that amplifies functional limits.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated

References for therapy

Guideline themes and evidence sources to pair with your treating plan — for claims context, not prescribing advice.^†

Bipolar disorder — maintenance therapy NICE CG185

Mood monitoring, sleep regularity, psychoeducation, and medicine adherence — relapse risk is an insurer focus.

Open reference ↗
SADAG — depression & anxiety resources SADAG

South African patient and carer psychoeducation; useful for explaining treatment engagement to insurers.

Open reference ↗
CBT for depression and anxiety NICE CG90 (adapted SA practice)

Structured talking therapy — first-line alongside medication for many mood and anxiety disorders; document session frequency and functional goals.

Open reference ↗
Occupational therapy — work capacity ClaimBuddy curated / HPCSA OT scope

ADL and workplace pacing assessments; pairs with material-duty mapping in functional capacity evidence.
Independent medical examination (IME) context ClaimBuddy curated

Assessor is not your treating doctor — prepare material duties, chronology, and treating specialist reports separately.

References & footnotes

ICD-10 code and condition label follow WHO ICD-10 classification. WHO ICD-10
Work-impact notes describe functional themes insurers probe — pair with material-duty mapping in your claim file. ClaimBuddy curated
Condition–medication links are therapeutic associations common in SA income-protection claims, not mandatory treatment pathways. MIMS / SA package inserts; ClaimBuddy curated
Specialist and assessor roles are typical for this condition in SA income-protection claims — not an exhaustive list of who may treat you. ClaimBuddy curated
Linked therapies are common non-drug interventions — cross-referenced to atlas therapy pages; insurer funding may differ from clinical appropriateness. ClaimBuddy curated
Therapy references summarise guideline themes for claims context — not prescribing advice; pair with your treating clinician's plan. MIMS / SA package inserts; ClaimBuddy curated
Causes, triggers, and comorbidity notes are claims-context summaries — not diagnostic criteria; pair with treating records and specialist opinion. WHO ICD-10; ClaimBuddy curated

Where this data comes from

ClaimBuddy collates SA-market brand names and strengths for intake — always verify against your script and clinician.

WHO ICD-10 — Condition names and ICD-10-CM codes in the condition index.
SAHPRA — South African medicine registration context; brand products must be SAHPRA-registered to be dispensed.
MIMS / SA package inserts — Registered strengths, formulations, and typical dosing ranges for SA market products.
SA Essential Medicines List (EML) — Public-sector formulary context for commonly available strengths.
ClaimBuddy curated — SA brand name collation from intake presets, claim-frequency mapping, and work-impact notes — not a substitute for prescribing information.

Language map — diagnosis vs incapacity →

Sentrix Digital, Melbourne · ABN 29 203 554 753. Not medical, legal, or financial advice. Organisation and drafting only. Verify with treating practitioners, the PDS, and the trustee/insurer. Australian complaints: insurer/trustee IDR, then AFCA. · info@sentrixdigital.com · +61 (03) 9088 1341 · Admin login