This takes place in the UK - and is in a university setting - so perhaps they have better policies than in the USA. I wouldn’t recommend disclosing in the US.
Mental illness: shedding light on the darkness
Like many people, I didn’t disclose my history of mental illness on a job application for my first lecturing post.
It was a calculated decision. I’d been fired from a non-academic role after experiencing distress on the job. Following my five-minute meltdown, I was seen as a liability and managers lost confidence in me. I’d been in remission for some years, and I wasn’t about to make myself vulnerable again in my application to work at a university. Or so I thought.
At first, the tactic worked a treat. My papers were hurried through human resources and I started the new job just two weeks later.
You can say this about the US because of the stigma-media…
However,in some places, you can-and find support.
I guess you have to be mindful of where you are working and who you are dealing with.**
It’s a risk no matter where you are living I think. It probably depends on the job too. I have 2 kids with mental health problems. Daughter is BP, sometimes she discloses. If she finds she has need to go back back to counseling, and is on a job where she didn’t disclose, then she will be quite open about it. The problem arises only because she waits so long to get help, and goes into meltdown mode and quits job. Son with sz just took a job 2 weeks ago. He surprised me by telling them in interview he has Sz. Incredibly brave in my opinion, and we will see how it goes. It may just be where we live, but so far neither one has had a problem with disclosure.
Disclosure has not been a liability for me here in Canada. My formerly full and currently part-time employer knows of my health issues and is okay with me operating a school bus. This is because I pass the required physical without any issues and am obviously high-functioning. They also hire me for photography occasionally.
I made the switch from full to part-time as I got tired of having my day split in two for low pay, and the bus runs eating up my best photography hours (the golden light as photographers call it).
I think that one has to be very careful in disclosing a mental illness at your job.
I disclosed my mental illness - bipolar, to the Human Resources Dept and paid the price - the school nurse also knew.
Stigma exists everywhere - Be very very careful who you tell
Great article. I had to disclose at my work (after seven months) due to getting worse. At first only my line manager knew, and a few weeks later I told the rest of the kitchen staff. It is kind of an open secret. I don’t expect special treatment and people still joke around with me, just they recognise when I am about to go off the deep end and get me to take a break.
I could never tell the general manager or the rest of the staff though. I only told the kitchen as we work in such close proximity for long hours.