Why It Shouldn’t Be Taboo to Talk About Mental Health to Potential Employers
I recently opened up about my mental health during job interviews and now I wish I had done it sooner.
I have mental health issues. I’ve been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, depression and even PTSD. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m fairly open about my mental health. I write about it, tweet about it, talk about it with friends, my therapist, family and just about anyone who gives me the time. But until recently, I was fairly apprehensive about mentioning my mental illnesses during job interviews.
I mean, why would I, right? Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers are not allowed to ask any questions regarding physical or mental illness during interviews. Advice online is pretty scattered, with many cautioning applicants that a mental illness revelation could work against them.
For the most part, I followed that advice, but I recently decided to mention it during a couple of job interviews, and, let me tell you, it was the most freeing feeling I’ve ever had. (At least, it was freeing after I talked it over with my therapist and she assured me everything would be okay.)
I like to think I do a pretty good job at keeping my anxiety and depression from affecting my work life. Most people don’t know about my constant battle against my anxiety or how depression occasionally shows up to make life a living nightmare. Living with these mental illnesses (and I imagine all other mental illnesses) can be exasperated by the stress of being a journalist. The constant barrage of bad news, tight deadlines and workaholic lifestyles is enough to make anyone’s life a bit unbearable.
The journalism industry is still trying to figure out how best to support reporters, editors and others in our field who are dealing with mental health issues. I’ve experienced newsrooms that are 120 percent supportive of my mental health needs, as well as newsrooms that have driven me to reconsider my career choice. (I’m looking at you Newsweek.)
As I look to join a new newsroom, I know how important it is for me to find a supportive community that won’t dismiss me or my reporting simply because I have anxiety or maybe experiencing a depressive episode. Seeing how potential employers react to my admission has helped me get a feel for what the newsroom’s culture really is like.
Talking about mental health is all about smashing stigmas and making it easier for others to seek help. While it remains to be seen if my decision to mention my mental illnesses works in my favor, I hope it encourages others to be open about their struggles with those they work with. The corporate world (the journalism industry included) won’t get better about showing support if we don’t speak up.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, the National Institute of Mental Health has tons of resources you can use, including information on several hotlines. If you’d like to support Black and AAPI journalists in their mental health needs, you can donate to the Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund or the AAPI Journalists Therapy Relief Fund.