I'm afraid of people knowing I'm mentally ill

My biggest, biggest fear is for my boss, professors, supervisor, mainly everyone to know I'm mentally ill.
I have depression and trauma issues and I want no one to know.

Hi Ad Intra, I like my privacy as well and do not discuss these issues in my other social environments. As long as I keep myself on stable ground, there is no reason to bring that up.

I use my coping mechanisms to keep out of that situation.

Hi Ad Intra. I understand it well. I didn't tell about my disorder to anyone either, except my t. I don't know if I'll ever tell someone. But is there a particular reason that makes you think that they could discover it?
Hugs

Same here. The only people that know about my issues are my wife, my mom (who found out by accident) and two close friends at work that I know I can trust.

Im glad I live in the USA because we have nation wide privacy laws that say no one needs to know what my mental disorders are, unless i tell them. these laws even make it impossible for employers to even ask their employees whether they have a mental disorder or not.

being mentally ill means the problem is inside not visible to others so as long as i am careful on who I choose to tell, then my employers, and others that I dont want to know wont ever find out.

I've told a lot of people what I have. At first I kept it quiet because I was scared of how people would react or start treating me. But after I told my family and close friends and thier reactions were supportive and not judgmental I have learned that opening up to people can be okay. I still am not about to tell my boss, but I've told about half of my coworkers, some of my professors, friends of friends etc. Nothing bad has ever come of it. Just another perspective.

i also dont care who knows, i will find out the people who really care about me don't judge me or not. in the past i was quiet about it, but for some reason i figured people will care about me anyway and left it at that. whoever remains my true friends is ok with me and them.

I wear an orange reflective vest in public with 'SARCASTIC PSYCHOPATH' printed on it in the ten most popular tourist languages. No one can say they weren't warned.

There is government push to raise the awareness of mental health in the UK at the moment,

And how prevalent it is , and making it discriminatory for employers to be against it.

I think its if your having problems with mental health at work /college , that you keep people informed .

I definitely informed my college and now get accommodations for it.

I think there should be a similar push in America but I don't see it coming into the mainstream in any meaningful way anytime soon. Especially about employers discriminating against mentally ill people.

A few celebs have admitted having mental health probs, sports people, quite a lot recently,

Local government employers are more aware and caring , than I think employment agency's would be .

Employers in England years ago especially in big factories , would have onsite doctors nurses , creches ,
In fact there is a very famous sitcom from the 70's here called " the fall and rise of Reginald Perrin" , he's an advertising exsec , but has a breakdown , but in it the company has a on site doctor , who he tells his problems too.

I have social anxiety--or depression--or wtf is wrong with me. I'm ashamed of it and wouldn't want anyone to know the real me, only share my inadequacies here or with my therapist (when I was going).

I've only recently started admitting some of my issues to others after suffering since childhood, it's both terrifying and uplifting. For the most part people have been surprisingly supportive. Other days I feel like such an outcast and like everyone is judging me. My therapist reminded me that 1 in 4 people suffer from some sort of mental illness. It's comforting to feel less alone.

I think you are wise. I also think it is sad that we have to hide parts of who we are. I have tried to be honest about my struggles so that others who may have problems with mental illness can come to me if they need help. It was a very bad idea because I am judged and people absolutely do not understand.

This of course is just my opinion and only my personal experience. I am sorry you have to feel afraid.

I am new to this forum but I have great hope that I can be myself and be safe here.

Hugs to you

Yes some people I would not bother to tell because I dont see them often, but my real true friends see me more often so they will know I take meds no matter what like if im spending the night but if they judge me they have issues not me

The only person I've told outright is my husband. My boss and coworkers know something isn't quite right, but at the same time they've told me multiple times that's why they love having me around. Aside from one small issue with some alarms and me breaking a printer with my fist, I can generally keep myself well enough in control that it doesn't matter if they know. Even on bad days, my shifts are either solo or I can relinquish command to someone with more seniority.

For a while I wanted to make a point of letting people know I'm diagnosed with mental illness and on meds. I wanted to help stop stigma. Sadly, I found out that was a huge mistake for me. Nearly every person I have mentioned my diagnosis/meds to has either used it to belittle/abuse me, or treated me oddly (like, "Welll...we know you're crazy....")

And the worst of all: "Do you really think you need to take medication? It obviously has caused you to gain weight..."

Really mean, thoughtless, ugly stuff. Now the only people I'd tell about my mental health stuff is others who are diagnosed and in treatment, not in denial.

That mental illness is not about "willpower", that it is not a "character flaw"...long way to go before the majority of people cease their ignorance.

The manager at my work is not compassionate towards mental illness at all. Out of a 20-25 person work place at least 3 of us have serious, chronic mental illnesses. Based on a few things said I think there's actually 5-6 of us. But she doesn't care and will reduce our hours/give us less responsibility if she finds out, even if we were functioning well and carrying out those responsibilities. It sucks, but we have no proof.

After I told my mom she has never mentioned it. When I was just dx'ed with depression she was okay talking about it and acknowledging it was there. But bipolar 2? She gets noticeably uncomfortable. Beyond the "why did your pdoc think you have that?" I've gotten no questions. Different people do different things.

My friends? They just showed me more support and understanding when I told them.

Spicedlife and PoppyRoad, you've been very brave. I'm sorry that you had those bad experiences.

How kind of you, BeaFlower. I'm sorry, too...I've ended up disappointed in a lot of people, unfortunately.

I don't tell anyone unless its a need-to-know kind of thing.

If you are struggling in school, I recommend getting accommodations through your disability department. Heck, even if there is a possibility of having and episode in the future, I'd get the accommodations. Better to be safe than sorry.....as an accommodation plan in place can afford you extensions if your symptoms spike, and ultimately save you $$$ depending on your financial situation. (I have trauma/PTSD, and take full advantage of the disabilities program at my school because it helps me in the long run.)

Well I've been in the psych ward twice and had a suicide attempt at 15...so cannot really cover up the fact that I have mental illness/issues with anyone who's known me over the years, even if someone did not know me during those times these things do come up in conversation....like if a friend/aquantince is telling me about an experience they had in the hospital and I can relate then I might mention my experience. Most people I hang around though don't really care and many have various mental issues themselves...In public I don't know if people assume I am mentally ill right off, but they certainly do seem to see me as at least a bit weird/strange. I consider myself a metalhead/rocker type as I love metal and rock music and dress as such rather often with band t-shirts, tightish jeans and leather wrist bands which some people apparently really frown on considering the dirty looks i get in some areas when dressed that way. I mean I think if anything that might even sort of cover the mental illness and that I am on the autism spectrum like people would attribute my seeming weird/different to my metalhead appearance, or weird hippie/stoner appearance when I wear more colorful stuff before they would assume I have any specific mental illness. Of course part of the reason I use cannabis is to mellow my symptoms but people aren't going to immediately assume that upon learning I smoke it.

Sometimes I do worry about stigma about mental illness...so I don't shout it out to the world or take any social opportunity to discuss life with mental illness. And sometimes I hear people say sort of ignorant things in conversation in public about mental illness and have to just kinda try and ignore it....because usually I am not sure I'd be prepared to deal with any back-lash if I stand up and say something to them, or being put down about it.

In my experience, it's the people who have severe mental health issues themselves but are in denial about it and refuse to be in treatment who are the most critical of those of us who are mentally ill and in treatment.

btw, Hellion, I have a very alternative appearance, too. The way you express yourself creatively sounds awesome!

I think this is a fairly normal reaction. I know in the beginning I was like that, but as I've gotten older it doesn't seem as important. I would rather people see the real me even if I have faults. Of course, I don't just tell everyone. Sometimes I use my diagnosis to enlighten others to the reality to mental illness and hopefully open their minds.

(would like to be as post above but I am not..I've attempted to enlighten others but have come upon the brick walls, judgmental, ignorant attitudes and twisted perceptions of closed minds )