After being hospitalized for attempting suicide, I could not work for two years. I started writing articles sharing my mental health challenges under an alias name because I was embarrassed and ashamed.
My biggest fear was employers seeing my articles and viewing me as unreliable, incompetent, and “crazy.” When I started applying to jobs and got to the section asking me to disclose if I had a disability, I always selected no.
Two of the disabilities on the list were major depressive and bipolar disorder, and I received both diagnoses. When I finally started applying, I pursued my peer recovery specialist certification through the Maryland Addiction and Behavioral Health Professionals Certification Board.
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