Well, people’s arrest records can be pulled up easily enough in a background check. I assume medical records could be as well, by an employer who’s dedicated enough.
One’s mileage may vary, of course… I worked as a social worker for 4 years and was open about being a diagnosed and escaped and at-large paranoid schizophrenic. I think I put most of them on the defensive, at least to the point that they were cautious not to say or do anything that would bring upon them my soapbox-ranting about “mentalist” assumptions or being oblivious to our oppression.
(I can’t say it has worked everywhere and in every venue, either, but it does more often than not.)
Agreed. This has been exactly my experience. People are quick to classify mental illness (depression and anxiety in particular) as character flaws that you are too weak to control.
/Ms Cyros
I’m with Muffin and Loopydude. Don’t discuss your personal issues at work. I’d add that you especially shouldn’t use them to excuse subpar performance to your boss or coworkers…
Yes, BUT I think we’re talking here about situations like the following:
One employee has a serious, long-term illness like MS. This caused them to have to be out of work for two weeks. They got sympathy and understanding and they got to keep their exact same job when they got back.
Another employee was out of work for two weeks in the midst of a severe anxiety episode. Company said they would take her back, but gave them such a shit assignment when they got back so that she’d quit.
Employee #1 got respect and understanding and compassion while she was out.
Employee #2 got gossiped and maligned and screwed.
Both were capable, excellent employees before their episodes.
And that sucks.
I’m not talking about excuses, so I’d like to disassociate myself completely from that statement. Considering what you said, I doubt you’re “with me” much at all.
I’m merely saying: You can’t trust people to be responsible, especially about mental health concerns, so reveal personal issues only in the direst need. Need to go to appointments? Say “I have an appointment.” Over and over, if you have to. If your boss pries, take it to HR. You tell HR it’s a personal matter, and it’s none of your boss’ goddamn business. My mother, who woks in the mental health field, has seen too many people get hurt who figured honesty was the best policy. It isn’t, in the majority of cases. It’s not fair, and it’s not right, but that’s the way the world is right now. It’s reasonable to fight your battles outside of the workplace for better tolerance, but you’re likely to gain preciely jack and squat for waging your battles with your employer. The typical American labor environment simply isn’t sufficiently respectful of individual rights to make asserting them worth your while, except with a highly select few who are bound to confidentiality, and can instruct nosey coworkers to butt the hell out.
There haven’t been many reports of ‘good’ experiences from people who’ve outed themselves (other than that loon Inigo Montoya), so I’ll add my experience.
I have security clearances up the wazoo and have been fairly forthright about my continuing relationships with mental health professionals. Many people seem to think that seeing a shrink will hurt their security clearance, and as a result, I’ve become a sort of “analysis buddy” for people who are on the verge of trying to fix whatever hellish mess their lives have become. It’s alarming and a little sad that security people themselves are part of this group. (Not because they need help; because they think there’s a stigma they have to worry about.) Anyway, maybe it’s just because I lay it out so brazenly, but I haven’t noticed any problems (I’m still getting the interesting work, still being asked to consider line management, still getting good raises, etc.)
I went on antidepressants about five years after starting therapy, and for a few years I was concerned about a stigma being attached to people on medication, but I eventually just laid that out as well (though I don’t wander around with a bullhorn telling people – I just answer questions truthfully if asked). I think Tipper Gore did a lot to ‘decriminalize’ mental illness.
One good part: On days when I just can’t leave the house and call in sick, I don’t have to bullshit anyone. I just tell them I’m having a very bad day and leave it at that.
Could be. Maybe times are changing.
Q.N., I have gaps in my employment record, and have had to explain, on job applications, why I am no longer employed. At first I tried being honest, and never, ever, heard a word back from anyone I’d ever applied to. Now, enough time has passed, I don’t have to explain why I lost my last job, but I do have a record of five years without a job. Which is almost as bad. And I still get no call backs.
As much of a hassle as freelancing may be (and it is, don’t let anyone tell you differently) it’s still easier than trying to get a McJob.
Again, I’m not saying that this is the worst possible thing to have happened to me. Between my military service, and the fact my parents can help me out, I’ve got some medical care, and no worries about starving or being put out on the street. However, I am not unaware that I have advantages that are not available to 90% of the population.
I hope that explains things.
Also I’ve noticed two main schools of thought about anti-depressants/mental health medications. Neither is very helpful, if you ask me. First is the largest group of people who seem to believe that all psychoactive medications are bad, such as ratososkK’s mother. No amount of testimonials from patients or doctors will change this belief. Frankly, I’ve seen and met with several people via mental health groups who are being pressured by family to go off their meds, even when the medications are helping. Second is the next largest group who simply think that you don’t need to use those medications, because it’s just a matter of will power. If you weren’t weak, or otherwise unworthy, you’d be fine. So you should stop using that crutch.
Granted, it’s a different thing than the closet that ggurl mentioned with the OP. But it is related, and it is a signifigant hurdle for many people getting proper treatment for their conditions.
That is God’s own truth. I think people don’t sympathize with emotional and mental disorders because they scare them too much. I think people know deep down in their subconscious that they themselves are one extra stress away from a depressive episode themselves, and they just don’t want to look in that mirror. Frankly, I expect to see anxiety and depression skyrocket in the coming decades.
Devil’s Grandmother, thanks for the clarification. You’re basically playing Devil’s Advocate?
Man, some of you have had some bad expeiences. I’m so sorry to hear that. I suffer chronic depression, most of my coworkers are aware, and those who know are supportive. I have a great team.
It’s a commonly held misconception that being a member of a group of like-minded (in this case, rather literally) people makes one more sympathetic. If it doesn’t sound too pretentious, there was a historian called Collingwood who Karl Popper invokes with great conviction. Interestingly, Collingwood combined the two words you use to describe the quality every historian should have when (s)he journeys back into the past to explore another time: “sympathetic understanding”. If you like, he’s making the case for understanding and insight as essential accompaniments to knowledge in attempting to come closer to the truth (or what Popper calls verisimilitude, which is about as close as we are likely to come this side of heaven).
I too agree that it’s best not to share too much with folk at work - words once spoken can never be retracted, and people always remember the things you don’t want them to, the things you only tell them once. Sometimes, a boss might detect problems and ask you, or say something like “Feel free to speak to me any time - about anything, professional or personal”, but discretion is the better part of valour even then I think. References and testimonials are not the ony way people can communicate. Informal means work much more effectively, anyhow.
I beg to differ.
If you’re not talking about excuses, then why is the example you provide about excusing your absence from work? 
I didn’t say “Your mental illness doesn’t excuse subpar performance,” I said “don’t use it as an excuse.” Note that the two sentences have very different meanings.
In other words, don’t say “I need to take the rest of the day off because I’m having a panic attack,” (which would be using your mentall illness to excuse your subpar performance) say “I’m not feeling well and need to sit out for a few hours” (which isn’t using your mental illness as an excuse for subpar performance).
Oh, and I’m gonna dissassociate myself from everything you said, just 'cause. 
Arrest records are a matter of public record.
The privacy of medical records is protected both by law and by private agreements between providers and patients.
I find the use of “subpar performance” to be out of place. Everyone has sick days. In fact, there’s growing evidence that “presenteeism” actually degrades performance more than taking sick leave, as it tends to prolong the illness and can have adverse effects on co-workers. Taking some time off to deal with a panic attack or a bad case of the flu isn’t an “excuse” so much as a legitimate explanation for absenteeism that requires no further apology, and in fact may enhance overall performance.
Right. And people when people are sick they’re not getting as much done–you could say that they’re not performing as well as they normally do.
An excuse is an explanation or justification for something. Legitimacy doesn’t have anything to do with whether or not something is an excuse.
To avoid turning this into Yet Another Semantic Hijack, I’m outta here. If it makes you feel any better, I’m sure our opinions are really polar opposites and don’t have anything in common.
You assumed incorrectly. It would be an act of cyber burglary to get the records out of any doctor’s on-line files. It’s hacking. Not easy, and against the law.
Why don’t you lie? No one, particularly the McJob types, are going to look that closely at your employment gaps. Tell them you were attending private classes to learn bonsai gardening. Tell them you were caring for a sick relative. Tell them ANYTHING that they might remotely buy.
I’m all for truth and lifting the stigma from mental illness. But if that isn’t working for you, LIE. It’s no one’s business, and a McJob doesn’t give a shit, as long as you’re not a violent felon or something equally dangerous.
I’ve though about joining for awhile and this thread motivated me to do so.
I’m at a point right now where I’m filing temporary, partial disability through HR. I have bipolar II, and it’s been getting worse. I’m see a good psychiatrist and a good therapist. My stress tolerance is very low, so I get a lot of rest & sleep. I’m taking care of myself as best I can.
I’m 34 I was just diagnosed in November, after years of being misdiagnosed as having unipolar depression. The hypomania that comes with bipolar II is a tricky thing for others to spot, and I didn’t even know a name for what I went through existed until I received the diagnosis. Unipolar and bipolar depression are treated with very different drugs. So many years of misdiagnosis and an unusual amout of stress in the last 6 months have led to the worsening of symptoms I’m experiencing.
I take my new meds regularly, and they’re starting to work. It’s very slow, though.
In August, I moved to Austin and started this new job that I love. I think I’m good at it, and have been told by my boss that I’m on the right track. I’m filing with HR because I want to keep this job. I want to have it documented that my recent performance has been subpar for me; I’m doing things much more slowly than usual and I’ve needed to use some sick days for the beginnings of my depressive cycles recently. Filing for temporary, partial disability is something I’m doing to ensure this really rough period is not taken as proof of my usual performance.
I’m asking for some accommodations: 1.) no teaching night classes because they disrupt my sleep schedule, and that leads to a hypomanic episode 2.) assurance that I can use my sick days and vacation days when I need to, as long as I take make the proper arrangements, 3.) the ok to discontinue membership in my national committees that are part of the American Library Association.
At this point, I don’t know if I’m protecting my job or screwing it up. If I had cancer or MS or a broken wrist, I’d be protecting my job. But, because I’m mentally I’ll, that might not be the case.
I don’t think so. I was desperately trying to *agree * with the OP’s decision to not tell anyone at her current job about her well-medicated and controlled disorder.
I’ve worked/volunteered with several different people who were on differing types of medications and generally speaking no good ever came of their “confessing”. Employers don’t like trouble, or even the potential for trouble.
Besides, if you admit you take any kind of meds no slack is cut for you on a bad day. Your coworkers just make snarky little comments about how you must have forgotten to take your meds that morning, and I *hate * that.