Some Thoughts on Ethics for the Bipolar Job Seeker

I’ve discussed the dilemma before of looking for a job and the discomfort of bending the truth to gain employment. This is not an easy topic for those who sincerely subscribe to a moral and ethical code, whether it be religiously held or a personal philosophy of upright behavior. Toward the goal of trying to resolve this difficulty, I have created the following attempt to help you sort out where you fall on the continuum of ethics.

There are those who judge this issue in a black and white fashion, but for others the issue isn’t quite as clear. I believe a varied group of people will find help here, those with a strict code of right and wrong and those concerned with the nuances of right and wrong, the shades of ethics grey. Whichever way you are predisposed; here are some thoughts on ethics for the would-be-bipolar job seeker:

1. Living with virtue in an imperfect world.
   You didn’t ask to be bipolar. Your aim is to live by virtue whenever possible.
2. Who is being hurt and who is being helped?
   A job well-suited to you can create a win-win situation for the employer or employee. A less than perfect fit can spell trouble for either party or both.
3. Choose your battles wisely.
   When is struggling on a job worth your while, and when are you in over your head? Creating a pro and con list can help evaluate potential gains and losses.
4. Prove yourself on a job.
   Either suggest a trial period on a job or choose to disclose after, when you feel you’re in a better position to to make your case.
5. Evaluate your ability to withstand anxiety.
   When is following your ethics the wise thing to do, and when do you choose to withdraw, only to live to fight another day? Perhaps you start out with less stressful jobs, building a job history of ever-increasing stress resistance.
6. Don’t allow fear to rule you.
   Living heroically means standing up for the beliefs you have regardless of the discomfort. This has to be balanced with your state of recovery.
7. Discuss your dilemma with a trusted friend, therapist, or religious leader.
   Sometimes it helps getting input in order to arrive at a decision.
   

Whichever way you happen to be predisposed, consider these suggestions food for thought.

Caught on the Horns of a Bipolar Dilemma

Before becoming self-employed 10 years ago, I worked for employers. When applying for a job, I was confronted with the issue of my mental illness. Do I disclose my psychiatric history? How forthcoming should I be? I asked myself what the ethics were of being less than candid about my history in the face of certainty that my background would cause an obstacle to an employer. Therein lies the dilemma for people who are capable, but have a mental illness diagnosis.

In the earlier years of my recovery I did not think I was in a position to divulge my history. The truth was, I hadn’t even thought about this side of the bipolar issue before. Caught between competing values, I debated over what was the truest ethic to defer to. Should I be honest and put a job prospect in jeopardy, or should I just juggle my past history to gain a position? If I didn’t report my past history, would I live under a constant cloud of being found out? And would that prohibit me from being candid in my conversations with co-workers no matter how close to them I became? I was caught on the horns of a dilemma.

I believed that employers of companies who had a strong work stress component were unlikely to be understanding of a mental illness diagnosis no matter how sympathetic they may be personally. I knew I did not want to divulge this part of my life; I just wanted to work a professional job.

At that time, I wasn’t interested in learning the facts about bipolar disorder or the moral dilemmas it raised. I just wanted to put my life in order and resume it as one more citizen.

There are no easy answers to the question of disclosure. We all have to make that decision on our own. It is a subject that arises for those of us with mental illness sooner or later. It is best to think about this disclosure before it becomes an issue. To be prepared rather than being confronted with it prematurely is wisdom. It may also strengthen your resolve to deal with life head on.