I'm openly bipolar now, but only because I couldn't hide it. I was very unstable for a long time there, and it was just too obvious. Then this year I lost my high-paying, high-level, high-stress job because of a mixed episode that nearly got me hospitalized, and there was no keeping THAT a secret.....once Corporate got a hold of it, it was only a matter of a few weeks until I was terminated.

Their reason was, they "couldn't" make the reasonable accommodations I required to continue in the position. As it turned out they did me a favor, because I couldn't take the stress anymore and still can't. So I went to work at a place where I'm well-known and well-thought-of, they know I'm BP but are at least willing to work around my limitations.

In the meantime, I talk openly about it because that is the only way we'll ever get rid of the stigma. No one thinks twice about a person who's chronically ill with MS or lupus, why should we have to hide out and be ashamed because our disorder originates in our brains??