I worked as an RN for near 40yr, and I found my own mental health issues were helpful for me in my work. Whether I worked in psych, med/sur, school, corrections, ob/gyn, it Always came in handy. Partly, I think because I was more likely to empathize with feelings/behaviors that some could not and dismissed (therefore interacting in a way that did not help) and I had confidence in people's ability to identify their own needs and to develop, with the team, their own goals etc. Also, with my mental health issues, I found nursing liberating with so many possibilities, things to learn, and the ability to move from one specialty to another. There are people in Every profession with MI.
And I can't tell you how Proud I was of the first person who phoned in to work (I was the facility supervisor in the moment) because they were in the midst of a panic attack. When I began you really had to pretend physical illness if you needed a day off. Times they are a changin' ENJOY! &struggleon