1) How comfortable are you expressing to others about your mental illness? Do you only do it as necessary? When do you deem it necessary? For example, when it's a significant other or a close friend?

By now I have become very comfortable saying that I have bipolar. But I am high functioning and currently asymptomatic.


2) Do you have a solid support system in place? (includes anything such as psychiatrist, therapist, close friends, family members, perhaps religious figures etc.)


I have a rock solid support system but I've worked very hard on it over the course of many years and I had to exclude some people, including family members, who were the opposite of being supportive. I have a psychiatrist who is also a therapist, I had a sleep psychologist in the past when I needed that support, I had an executive function psychologist for some short term help and I can go back to him if I need him on an ad hoc basis, I have terrific close friends, I have distant family members who are awesome (some know about my mental illness and others do not), yes there is a religious figure, so basically I have everything. I also have a wonderful internist who supported me through bouts with suicidality and anxiety in the past, and a host of other medical doctors who, together, have figured out breakthrough advances in my care. I am also very proactive and involved in my medical care.

It was not always like that, but now it is.


3) In terms of work accommodations, have you ever had to request them? If so, how honest, or upfront, where you about it ? Did you share everything they may need to know or just the pertinent details for that moment? If you have never had to ask for an accommodation or at least divulge some aspect to maintain/improve your work -- would you?

I have not requested them, but my manager who knows about bipolar, on his own initiative, changed my work responsibilities to make it less stressful for me. I am very appreciative.