Should I Tell My Boss I Have Bipolar Disorder?

*Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

“Should I tell my boss I have bipolar disorder?” is a question almost everyone living with bipolar disorder must answer at some point in their lives.

It can feel like you have a lot going against you. There is a huge stigma attached to bipolar disorder. Plus, there is no shortage of judgment and preconceived notions.

You do not have to feel alone.

Perhaps my journey can help direct you along your way.

My Experience

Throughout the years, I have had many jobs. I know my illness directly impacts my functionality. This affects my work performance—negatively and positively. After talking to other individuals with bipolar disorder, I have found this to be a common scenario.

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1 back in 1999. This was a time when people did not talk about mental illness the way they do today. I know there is still a HUGE stigma, but it is nowhere near what it was around the turn of the 21st century.

When I was first diagnosed, a few of my employers fired me because of my bipolar disorder. They wrote down a different excuse when filing the paperwork, but I was always aware that having bipolar disorder ended my employment.

As time went by, I learned a few things through my experience. It seemed larger businesses and corporations were more willing to accept my illness. It was almost as if the bigger businesses had more to lose, so they followed the book to a “t.”

Smaller businesses that I worked for had no problem letting me go when I disclosed my illnesses. Again, this was my experience and a common theme I have found over the past couple of decades.

Every individual has a different experience. It is no one else’s business that I live with bipolar disorder.

Remember, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects individuals with a mental illness against discrimination. I have always spoken with Human Resources (HR) when I need to discuss my bipolar disorder. Make sure you follow the correct channels at your place of employment.

A Positive Outcome

I had an exceptionally wonderful experience with one employer I worked for.

When I originally got the job, I did not divulge my bipolar disorder. Instead, I pretended like I didn’t have an illness and I would be fine. As a side note—I no longer do not endorse this line of thinking.

That first day was a chaotic mess full of anxiety, panic attacks, mood instability, and extreme fluctuations in both energy and motivation.

I spoke to HR and my boss together. They asked me what I needed. I explained to them I could only work part-time and in the afternoons. They immediately approved the change, and I was set.

I know this isn’t the kind of result everyone experiences, but please realize it is a possibility and in the realm of reason.

Realization

Throughout the years, I have learned that I do not enjoy working for others. After I came to this realization, I started some of my businesses.

Not everyone is wired to be their boss. If you can make it work, though, the benefits are beyond compare.

I am not talking about brick-and-mortar businesses where you have to be somewhere at a specific time and place. Instead, I am specifically referring to online and digital ventures. There are some great careers out there that you can work in from the comfort of your own home.

A Few Things to Consider

• I never tell my coworkers about my illness. It is none of their business, and I do not like gossip.
• Once you divulge you have bipolar disorder, you cannot take it back. I am not saying this to scare you, but I want you to be prepared for any repercussions.
• The ADA protects you, but there is no guarantee you will still have your job after you divulge you have bipolar disorder. Your employer can simply record a different reason for your termination instead of citing it as bipolar disorder.
• If my bipolar disorder affects my performance as an employee, I must take off a few “mental health” days, leave work early, or even go into the hospital, I will speak to my employer. In these various instances, I do not feel much of a choice but more of personal responsibility.

Last Thoughts

When thinking about the question “Should I tell my boss I have bipolar disorder?”, think about all the outcomes and ways divulging you have bipolar disorder to your boss could impact you. That way, you can prepare yourself for any potential fallout.

Remember, you are the one who has to live with whatever action you choose. Make sure you feel comfortable either way you go.

Do not let anybody force you to say something or force you not to say something if you want to divulge your illness to your boss.

After all this discussion about whether to tell your boss you have bipolar disorder, I feel it simply depends. Just like each of us is unique in the symptomology and severity of our bipolar disorder, so is each situation related to the raised question.

Ask yourself some questions:

• What happens if I tell my boss I have bipolar disorder?
• Would anything change if I continued to keep my diagnosis under wraps?
• Who is my point of contact with human resources?
• Is there an open and safe work environment?
• Are the people at work judgmental?
• Do I have a plan in place in case I get sick and have not told my boss?
• Who do I trust at work?
• Do I plan to stay with this employer long-term?
• How severe is my bipolar disorder?

This list is not all-inclusive. Hopefully, though, these questions will give you some insight and perhaps raise some of your own.

I highly suggest that you write everything down so you can keep your thoughts and ideas in order. A “pros and cons” list is a great tool to utilize in this case.

In the end, if you feel comfortable and good about the decision (after taking everything into account), you cannot go wrong.