| Topic Name: |
Medical Disclosures |
| Message Name: |
Bipolar Disclosure to Employers? |
| Date Posted: |
10/08/2006 |
| Message: |
I am a law student awaiting an offer for a summer associate position for next summer. I am also diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Does anyone have any thoughts on the risk/benefit analysis to disclosing a bipolar condition to employers? I do not need anything in the way of reasonable accommodations (except, perhaps, flexible time once every 2 weeks for an hour for a lithium blood test). If I receive an offer after next summer, I'd like to be up front with my employer just in case I ever need to alert a manager to a potential problem. On the other hand, the stigma associated with bipolar disorder is often so unreasonably severe that I'm tempted to let well enough alone. (Of course, in the unlikely event that I destabilized while employed, I would let me employer know.) Any thoughts? I think the only time I'd be particularly concerned about keeping my employer in the loop would be if I decided to become pregnant (because my mood stabilizer is not safe for pregnant and nursing women and I would therefore have to go without medication for about 11 months).
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