[Celyn]

I hadn't done this up until recently. Though I showed symptoms of mental health issues at school, I didn't recognise nor get help for them, so never had that issue of having to explain. That said, when I signed up with an agency for teaching assistant work, I had to fill in a health declaration for being 'fit to work'. I have had counselling, but never an official diagnosis, so I just mentioned that I went through a hard time after university and had counselling and asked if that would affect anything. I was told that it wouldn't matter, and that if I stated I had things that would affect my ability to work, then it would get sent to my doctor and I would have to be judged by the doctor as fit to work.

I have wondered about disclosure in general though. I know that when filling in the 'fitness to practice' forms it's best to be honest in case symptoms flare up and it comes to light that you suffer with mental health issues, especially if it's chronic or re-occurring as there may be consequences for not declaring. That said, I do worry about stigma, and unless I had to declare it, I wouldn't, more so since I can't think of any accommodations that I need or could benefit from. But with the counselling course I hope to get on someday, I have thought about disclosing, mostly due to the content of the course and it requiring some disclosure anyway.