Should you tell your employer about your diagnosis?

Bipolar disorder (BPD) is just one of various mental illnesses that can affect you in the workplace. A study conducted by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance concluded that 88% of participants (who were diagnosed with either BPD or depression) admitted that their condition affected their ability to work." However, the law protects you if you are diagnosed with a mental illness that impairs your ability to work.

Borchard of Psychcentral states that "the World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, mental illness will be the second leading cause of disability worldwide, after heart disease [and] major mental disorders cost the nation at least $193 billion annually in lost earnings alone, according to a new study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health." According to Forbes, "[u]nder the Americans with Disabilities Act, a person with a disability is not required to disclose it unless seeking an accommodation at work." While some people may require some accommodations, most people find that they do not need them. Forbes further reports that "[a] survey conducted by the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University found that 73% of 500 professionals previously diagnosed with a psychiatric illness were able to maintain full-time employment in their chosen fields, including nurses, executives, lawyers, professors and newspaper reporters." This brings up the dilemma, to tell or not to tell.

Regardless whether you disclose the BPD diagnosis to your employer or not, you are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This piece of legislature is in place to guarantee that you are not discriminated against. An employer cannot fire you or lay you off because they learn of your diagnosis of a mental illness. Just as they would not penalize a person for being a diabetic, they cannot penalize you for your illness. And if they try, you can - and should - seek legal counsel.

Many blogs and websites attempt to give advice on this topic but they pretty much fail at doing so. And here's the reason: you can't advise someone (in this economic climate) to be as open as we would like to be. Being open and honest with your employer, disclosing a diagnosis of BPD, could help fight against the stigma surrounding mental illness. In fact, if you are a good worker, then this is exactly what it should do - reduce stigma. But not all employers are sympathetic or educated on the matter. Some choose to be ignorant of issues surrounding mental health, ignoring the magnitude of its effects. In these cases, opening up about your illness could create a climate of scrutiny and/or hostility in the workplace.

And it's not just your employers you have to worry about - it can be your coworkers. How much is too much to reveal to a colleague? Well, that depends. How well can they be trusted?

This is a timely topic for myself, as I am seeking employment. Rest assured, though, that my digital footprint all but alleviates this situation. The truth of the matter is, if someone wants to know about my diagnosis, they're going to find out. I've invited that risk already, by hosting this blog without using an alias. And my reason? Because I believe it's time to end the stigma against people suffering with mental illness. We need to create a culture that supports and sympathizes with those who suffer daily. We need to raise people's awareness of what we go through - to help them help us - to help them understand. Instead of sitting idly by and allowing the stigma to perpetuate, we can do something about it.

I've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder since the age of 19. I've lived and suffered through many ordeals related to my diagnosis. The path of recovery is not always straight. It is not always moving forward. Sometimes, it takes you back. But you have to keep striving for your goals. And this is what I have done. Every day that I wake up, I say to myself "how am I going to achieve my goals?" And the answer?? Hard work. Nothing in my life comes easy. And if you ask the millions of employed Americans with a diagnosis of BPD, they would tell you the same. But we do it. We push through it. We not only manage our illness, we make strides. We not only survive, we can thrive!

But how does a flower blossom if not in the light? This is why I share.

Do I tell my employers about my diagnosis? Yes and no. Each situation is different. It has come back to bite me in the ass a time or two. What you do is all up to you...

Please share in the comments what you think? Would you disclose? Should you disclose? Why or why not?