Background: Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness in which increased mood and depressive episodes alternate, forming a bipolar manic-depressive syndrome. A psychiatric illness is associated with stigma and self-stigma and bipolar disorder is the psychiatric illness that has the greatest risk of suicide. People diagnosed with bipolar disorder meet nurses in different health care contexts and not only in psychiatric care.

Aim: The aim of this study was to illustrate people's experience of living with bipolar disorder.

Method: A literature-based study was done through a qualitative approach, Systematic searches in the databases Cinahl and PsycINFO. The study was based on nine qualitative articles. The analysis resulted in four categories and ten subcategories.

Results: Living with bipolar disorder was described as the experience of losing control and not having control over their own life, where the challenge lay in learning to handle one's illness. Stigma from their surroundings was common, which could contribute to self-stigma. Living with bipolar disorder was associated with great concern and frustration over how the illness will affect the future. Having the illness meant having contact with different healthcare contexts and contact with nurses, where respectful and good care were important factors.

Conclusion: Bipolar disorder affects the individual form various aspects and has an impact on daily life. An increased understanding of what it's like to live with bipolar disorder is required to be able to personalize care, reduce stigma and reduce the suffering for the individual.