I treat the MI like I would any other medical condition and only letting them know if I have to miss or need scheduling changes that it is for medical reasons or if have to be out, only b/c am ill. HR has known in the past specifically such as when have had to file for leave. However, there is also the issue that I have run into of confidentiality, that not all of bosses in the past have kept it to themselves and this has created issues in the office with them and other coworkers when had to be out for mental reasons. It is a medical condition and now I leave it at that.

It also is none of their business, even if my job performance becomes impacted just as if it was another condition, still have to figure something out to manage the work/scheduling regardless of knowing what the specific illness is. I don't discuss the other conditions either keeping it non-specific as their can be preconceived notions against other diagnoses as well, not just mental illness but even more so with MI.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I let them know in case there were issues, to be upfront about it and honest, and also not knowing what was going to happen. However, my job performance had not changed, still maintained an exceptional standard even being more vigilant concerned that I might falter. Coworkers even noticed this and how really well I held up at work, always friendly, still the go to person, quality work, and on time with everything always despite how hard the treatments were. All of the sudden I get a performance review telling me how I had let some projects fall through the cracks, was uncooperative and no longer a team player, and that they needed to let me go. This was all crap and couldn't be further from the truth. The illness personally scared this boss (as if I wasn't) as he indicated at one point; I was a constant remind of those fears and he did not want to accommodate anymore scheduling changes despite the work getting done well and on time.

So no matter the condition, MI or other health, I'm out for doc appointments, health issue or ill but never why specifically unless absolutely have to now. This has become acceptable to all of my employers since and saved all of us a lot of grief in the process. I hate hiding things on one hand but at the same time, not everyone is as understanding and I cannot afford to take that chance with my livelihood anymore.