Should clients disclose their mental illness?
Research shows that if everyone knew someone with a mental illness, their attitudes toward mental illness would dramatically improve. For that to happen, people with mental illnesses would need to be upfront about it, but "it's still risky business to self-disclose," says Paolo del Vecchio, an author of a major report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
That said, people who do disclose often experience relief and find that it can improve their work and family relationships, the report found. But it's important for self-disclosers to pick the right time and place for letting people know, the report finds. For most, it's better to start by telling a small group of people you trust, and to only inform employers when it's necessary.
clipped from: www.apa.org