'I'm ok with talking about my mental health problems - but will it affect my employability?' | TheJournal.ie

I agree with everything in this piece. I'm a lapsed blogger and used to have a decent following. I touched on my mental health issues on the blog and on social media a few times, but could never bring myself to be as open as some brave people are.

I'm at an early stage in my career. I worked in unrelated fields for a few years as I graduated in 2008, right when the crash happened and jobs for inexperienced grads in my field dried up. I've struggled to get where I am in my field today through unpaid internships, further education, low paying entry level jobs, and still have a long way to go to be where I want to be. And I'm sure many people my age have been though similar.

Even though I suffer from depression, my mental health has never caused a problem for me in my work. I save up all my energy to get through my day, and fall apart in my private time. It's a sad truth that I have very little social life outside work due to putting all my "healthy hours" into my career, but I've chosen to do so. In work I'm capable, diligent and motivated. No employer has ever known I have any sort of health issues, as to tell them would be career suicide, despite my excellent work record.

We're still a long way from breaking the stigma, particularly when most people would put their careers in jeopardy by "coming out" as suffering from mental illness.

/r/ireland Thread Link - thejournal.ie