2 Part Question About Mental Health in the Workplace.

[Lizanimal]

I have been unemployed by choice for almost 2 years now. Previously I worked while trying to cope with my GAD, Panic Attacks, and Depression because I wanted to be independent and knew that being unemployed was not an option. I had found an employer/job that I was more comfortable with but towards the end of my employment (of 6 years) there I started having both physical and mental symptoms that became debilitating and after a series of unfortunate events my husband and I decided that it would be good for me to take a break.

My first question is:

If you can relate, how do you deal with questions as to why you are not working from family/friends or strangers? I am 24 years old and look healthy so I get very strange looks when I have to discuss my unemployment. I am filled with a lot of shame even though I know I couldn't hold down a job. I get a lot of unintentionally condescending comments about how I am selling myself short/ or confusion because I've been employed before.

My second question is:

At some point I may feel more recovered and seek employment so how do I go about explaining my gap in employment? I've seen a myriad of opinions, (don't disclose/say it's a medical problem/ lie- which I would never do) but I don't feel comfortable keeping my mental health issues from an employer because it is a huge part of my life/reality and issues will surely come up as I have suffered with these issues since childhood.

In the past I have done a horrible job coping with my anxiety/depression and the stress that comes from holding a job never eases up for me.

[Jodev28]

Hi i am tryin to go back to employment at the minute and i was just filling outa job app and the question of mental health came up and i didnt know weather to say that i had r lie but i did then put i do suffer with anxiety because at the emd of the day it is agaist the law to discriminate for mental health and we didnt ask for this to happen to us it wasnt our fault. So why should we be ashmed that we have this

[Agora1]

Hi Lizanimal: In my case, when I left the medical field, I started my own business where I could work around my Anxiety as well as Fibromyalgia. But who was to know, if they asked I would just say that I worked for myself. It would stop them short.

I would make sure I was marketable by going on interviews from time to time as I saw something that interest me as well as having background in. Each time I had to fill out an application form. Never did I relay to a potential employer that I had anxiety. (first of all I never considered it a mental illness, but the results from a stressful life) Once "Mental Illness" goes down on your work records, it's impossible to delete. Now I'm glad I didn't because I am doing well and have long left anxiety in the background.

This was just my way of handling my emotional health in the workplace.