This question is posed here often and usually the general consensus is DO NOT tell your employer. I personally would never tell. Even in my last job I never came out and said I had bipolar. They were incredibly supportive of me when I had to take time off (a lot of time off) for bad episodes but I still never mentioned bipolar. I just said I had depression because I feel there is less stigma for depression.

The one time I did tell an employer, I was not asked to return (it was a summer camp). I was a model employee for five summers until a bad depressive episode. I told him what was going on so he would understand why I wasn't my happy self. I figured it would be ok because he knew me. But nope, I was let go.

As for telling people, well, I've been hospitalized so many damn times that it's impossible to hide from the people close to me. However, if by some miracle I were to make new friends I wouldn't tell them until we were close. I just don't trust people with that information.

But that's just me. Many others on here have told and it's been fine.