One of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching experiences I’ve had since writing this blog is hearing your stories regarding mental health. A mother shared her hope after finally finding a medication that worked for her daughter’s depression and anxiety disorder. A daughter grieved the normalcy she had before her brother had his first schizophrenic break. And a well-known personality in the Portland area contacted me to say that he suffers from bi-polar disorder and is terrified of telling his employer. He doesn’t fear the stigma as much as the thought that he will likely be fired if his employer learns of his diagnosis.
I asked Dana L. Sullivan, one of the leading employment attorneys in the Northwest to offer advice for people who may be hiding a mental illness from their employer.