Full Disclosure to Employer II
I disclosed to my employer my mental health diagnosis, treatments, current condition, and hospitalizations. This was required to keep my security clearance. Well, this disclosure now required me to reapply for my clearance (while I maintain my current clearance). In doing this paperwork, which takes about a week to complete, I will have to disclose the specifics on my PTSD. The who, what, when, where, and how must be there on the paperwork to be fully truthful. This has caused flashbacks the past few days. It is unimaginable to have to disclose everything to my employer. And I hope they do not see me as too damaged and deny my clearance.
Replies
I think that it is awful. Thinking of you.
Julie - thanks. I just can't win.
Would he do that to someone who had a broken leg? I think not. All he needs to know is you had a problem and it is taken care of. It is like epilepsy or CP, MS. It should not make any difference if you can do the work.
One would think the government would see the merit of not only lived experience in a very real medical issue, but the strength and courage and stamina accomplished in achieving stability. I’m sorry you are going through this. Sending waves of support.
There is a huge stigma to mental health. Especially for “psychotic” Disorders like Bipolar. There is a separate box to check for that when I am disclosing my mental health on the form. I guess bipolar is “bad” in the eyes of the government. And I waiting for the interview by a detective to complete the form. I guess I am my struggles in the eyes of the government
Thor, did you ever watch the tv series Homeland starring Claire Danes? She plays a bipolar hero who works in national security. Hers is a really helpful character helping to reduce the stigma you mention.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeland_(TV_series)
Thor, wishing a positive outcome. All the trauma details would certainly trigger any of us. Hopefully you can include some prognoses from your doctors. Hoping the right person makes the final decision. Hopeful hugs.
Muji - I did watch Homeland. Nice to see the disease making it the series. I'l have to rewatch for her bioplar.
Simpson - triggering yes, that has been me for the past couple of days. I did in narratives tell my story fully and include that I am getting better. I hope I put the right spin on the whole thing. 2mg of Lorazepam helped.
Yeah, Thor, there was a season in which for some reason she had to be off her meds and had to hang on to herself with both hands. It looked really well done to me even though I'm not bipolar, what with my PTSD hypervigilance symptoms. I could really relate to how she felt going off her meds because for medical reasons I had had to do that, too.
I came here in June of 2012 because that month of that year my doctor found I had kidney damage to the extent that I had to be taken off of all PTSD meds immediately. I'd been on them since 1995, so I needed support in finding out how to do that. I went without any PTSD meds at all for 6 years, something I don't recommend trying if you don't have to.
Then last year a new PTSD med came out that's processed by the liver, Prazosin, and not by the kidneys, so I got some relief. But I couldn't have made it without support from 2012 to 2018 without any meds if not for DS.
I had a lot of empathy, then, for that season when the main character Claire Danes played on Homeland had to grit her teeth and go without meds.