A few months ago, a friend of mine was officially diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The shock and confusion caused by this revelation was intensified by the fact that it came soon after being laid off from her job.
While she struggled with both her illness and her new jobless status, the diagnosis itself had given her a sense of relief. She said it was somehow comforting to know that there was a name to this illness and that it could be at least controlled, if not conquered.
As admirable as it is for my friend to confront her illness and "own it" by talking about it in the open, I cautioned her about how much she should reveal before she even had an interview. While openness and honesty are generally good qualities in life, one must be careful about disclosing too much too soon.