Should I Report My Mental Illness To My Supervisor
I was Dx’d w/ GAD in 2002. I work in mental health as a case manager for people with severe and persistent mental illness, it is a job I do well at. I have weekly supervisory meetings with my supervisor. After my meeting this week, my supervisor mentioned that everytime she talks to me I appear anxious and nervous. She said that this concerns her because she does not want me to get burned out. She wanted to make sure that I was taking care of myself because she says that if I don’t take care of myself, I can’t take care of clients. I told her that I was not burned out at all and I never expressed any anxiety when dealing with clients. I only experienced anxiety around supervisors because I want to do a good job and sometimes get nervous and think that I am going to look bad. She seemed to be okay with that, but I have been super paranoid about it. I know that if I disclose my illness there is a chance I can lose my job even though it is illegal. Discrimination is very hard to prove.
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2 Responses to Should I Report My Mental Illness To My Supervisor
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Discrimination is not hard to prove IF you have documentation to clearly show a before and after picture. You need to document how things are right now and then how things are after to informed your supervisor about your GAD.
You have a disability and disability discrimination is illegal. Even if your GAD is controlled with medication, you are STILL considered disabled and are protected by law.
Here is some additional information. Does your doctor have you on medication? Search this page for the word “medication”.
http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/accommodation.html
I’m a supervisor of casemanagers working with people with severe and persistent mental illness. Here’s what I think. 1. There’s a stigma about mental illness that we as mental health professionals need to consider. Disclosing your illness could have repercussions for you, but working in the field it should not (there is a large movement of inclusion and acceptance within the treatment community.) Disclosing your illness would help your supervisor assist in managing symptoms as they relate to your ability to do your job. Disclosing also may help your anxiety around supervisors, as it appears you may be fearful that they will find out about the illness. 2. It appears you have a desire to do your job as well as you possibly can. If this is the case, then your fear of disclosing your illness may get in the way of being as effective as possible with clients.
At my community mental health center we have a supervisor who is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and is open about it. I think it helps fight the stigma and helps people understand that mental illness does not mean people cannot be successful. There is also potential that your disclosure may help other professionals around you with their view of people with mental illnesses. I can understand if you still decide not to disclose, but do you really want to work somewhere that would fire you for being ill and not provide reasonable accommodations for that illness?
It’s a complex decision and I salute you for critically considering it.