Disclosure of Mental Health to Your Boss

[dontcareinmi]

In light of VT, I have heard numerous calls for disclosing mental conditions to public univerisities, work, etc.? Are you in favor of this? Would the public be be served by the higher ups at work, school, church etc knowing that a member etc was diagnosed with major depression, skitzophrenia, and other serious emotional or mental diseases?

Do they have a right to know that about someone they are in close proximity too?

[Zencat]

Personally, I would not like to have my mental condition known by people other than the ones I choose to tell.

As far as I’m concerned, the Idea that guns are so easily available to everybody is madness in its own right.

[Anna]

I agree with Zencat, I think this issue has as much to do with guns as it does with mental illness.

I think, in most cases, disclosure of mental illness should not be made public. However, there are cases where stalking or violence are involved and I think these issues should be made public. I think that stalking is underestimated by authorities, as only slightly worse than the 'peeping Tom' scenario. My daughter was stalked for over a year by a man she did not know. What I learned from this experience was how deeply mentally ill this person was and yet the authorities never took it seriously at all.

[Codieneaddict]

I can see the point in it but I personally would not want anyone to know my problems unless I told them.

[historyteach]

As long as stigma exists and continues to limit the opportunities of people with mental illness, I wouldn't reveal any mental health issue to anyone I didn't trust 100% with the information. That means doctors, and immediate family.

If and when the stigma lifts, then, I will re-evaluate.

Shalom!

[Bozo]

I applied for some Life Insurance. The form asked if I had any disease. Trying to be honest and work my program I said I had alcoholism. They would not insure me.

I said, what if I sign a waiver that if I drink myself to death you dont have to pay off the insurance. I was still told no.

I learned a lesson that day.

[Wascally Wabbit]

If you give em an inch they will take a mile.
First thing you know, having to admit that you are schitzophrenic will lead to your having to admit you're feeling depressed, then you'll be forced to admit PMS.

[shutterbug]

i agree that none of us should be made to tell this about ourselves. With the VT thing...i doubt the creep had even been properly diagnosed and just because there is one person with a mental illness that is evil...that doesn't mean all people will mental illness are evil or dangerous.

That, i think, is the danger in all of these cases where mental illness is "given" as the best "reason" why such a horrible thing happened.

Mental illness is still among the people/groups that it's generally "acceptable" to discriminate against.

We have enough struggles to get through just so we can live as normally as possible...the last thing we need is more stigmas and sterotypes placed on us or our illnesses.

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on the flip side...i personally HATE having to hide my illness.

In keeping it a secret from co-workers, i feel i am NOT being totally myself. But mainly, I feel I am also adding to the stigmas by not being strong enough or brave enough to proudly say that I struggle with this and continue to be triumphant. In other words....stand as an example in my small world of what mental illness looks like for the most part - a hard struggle, but not a homicidal one.

What I want most is to help better educate the world and help people understand that what we deal with should be viewed as being no different than diabetis or cancer. A cancer patient could just as easily snap one day and go off on a killing spree. Actually, most of us with mental illnesses are only a danger to ourselves and are so in touch with all kinds of pain that we wouldn't be capable of intentionally causing another person pain or suffereing.

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So...to tell or not to tell....it's a constant question i ruminate over in my daily life. For, how can i tell those in my world the truths about mental illness....without disclosing my own and showing them i'm not ashamed to admit my disease?

[pendragon]

Essentially, I believe it all depends on the person, place and situation. I have had a few negative reactions when I disclosed my mental illness. I'm fortunate enough to be working at a psychosocial clubhouse, so my employers are well acquainted with MH issues. So far I have been truly blessed in my recovery to have had tremendous support from my family and friends, and in AA everyone has been accepting of who I am and what I'm about. I try to think well ahead of time what and how much to disclose. No one should (in my opinon) be made to disclose anything unless they have to for medical reasons. I had a niece at VT in that building at the time and it was very frightening. Unfortunately it's the people who haven't been lucky enough to be given the proper treatment that seem to give the rest of us a bad odor.
Thanks for the questioln, it's a good one.

[pedagogue]

Not unless it was explicitly stated would I even consider it. I don't have any Dx's, but I consider it to be the same as not disclosing general medical history. I know some gov't jobs require it (those with certain clearances, etc)

-p