Sharing a diagnosis has its advantages and disadvantages

As many individuals with psychiatric diagnoses enter the workforce, they must face the issue of whether or not to disclose their "invisible disability." It isn't a simple matter, because present (or potential) employers and coworkers may have pre-existing ideas about what a certain medical condition implies. They may presume the worst about an employee or job applicant based on news or anecdotal stories about people "going crazy" in the workplace, or assume that a certain diagnosis means that a well-qualified person can't handle certain types of work. There may be worries about what it means to accommodate someone with a mental health condition.

While a person can live a double life and attempt to maintain a public image that excludes his or her illness, there can be consequences. Alternately, one can be extremely open about having a mental illness, only to have doors close before employers or colleagues even hear anything else.

Disclosure is a double-edged sword that forces the question: Should individuals with a mental illness disclose their diagnosis to their employers?

Lorne Zon, CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario:

"Should I tell my employer that I have been diagnosed with schizophrenia or, for that matter, any mental health or physical health issue?"

This may seem like a reasonably straightforward question, but the answer is anything but simple. It depends on many factors, both personal and work related. Why do you want to tell your boss? Are you seeking accommodation for your condition? Do you want to explain potential impacts on your work performance? Are you expecting to experience increased absences?

It wasn't so long ago that we did not speak at work about having cancer because of fears of how that would be received by coworkers or our managers. I am sure many people living with some types of illness are still hesitant to disclose their situation at work. It is an unfortunate reality that as a society, we have a long way to go in understanding and accepting some health situations―in particular mental illness.

In August 2008, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) released its 8th Annual Report Card on Health Care. The survey included interviews with just over 1,000 Canadians and an online survey of just over 2,000 individuals. The results would most certainly influence an individual's thinking about disclosure.

The survey found that 15 percent of Canadians had been diagnosed with clinical depression, 36 percent with stress, and 23 percent with feelings of helplessness or worthlessness.  Furthermore, only 2 percent of Canadians did not think schizophrenia was a mental illness. It is encouraging to note that 60 percent of Canadians believe mental health treatment is underfunded, and that almost 60 percent expect the number of people with mental illness to increase over the next 10 years. Such results would give us cause to believe that Canadians are understanding and supportive of those living with a mental illness. But there is another, less encouraging side to the survey as well.

The Report Card showed that about 27 percent of Canadians are fearful of someone with a mental illness, and 25 percent would feel uneasy around someone with a mental illness. That adds up to one in four of your coworkers. The Report Card also states that 49 percent of Canadians are "somewhat less apt" to socialize with a colleague who is mentally ill. That could make for a pretty lonely work environment.

The Report Card also gives us some insights as to whether other Canadians would tell their employer. While 72 percent of Canadians would tell a coworker about having cancer, only 50 percent would disclose a mental illness.

Protections are included under Section 25 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, but they are not foolproof. If you need accommodation at work you may not have any choice but to disclose.

Becky Banks, MA, LSW, research associate, Center on Community Living and Careers, Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Indiana University:

Often individuals with disabilities (especially the hidden disabilities, such as a psychiatric disability) ponder whether disclosure of the disability offers value to the work experience or hinders successful employment outcomes. This is a sensitive subject that involves a careful evaluation of a number of factors. These factors may include: who discloses information about the supported employee's psychiatric disability; how this information is relayed to the workplace personnel; when to share the information; what information to disclose; and the primary purpose for disclosing information about the mental illness.