YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Quick question: Currently applying for grad schools, and all of the applications have a section where I can list any disabilities, and "mental illness/depression" is usually an option on their list. Should I mark myself as having a disability? I've never received any kind of governmental support for it, and to be fair I still show up to work every day on time and pay my taxes, so it's arguable as to whether depression "interferes" with my ability to function, according to most definitions as I understand it.

Depression makes me miserable and has kept me from pursuing a lot of things, but from an outside perspective it's not stopping me from meeting my basic societal obligations. Should I call it a disability Y/N?

Yes. Not because it will help you get in or get financial aid, necessarily, but having it documented will also allow you to request certain accommodations while you are in school. For example, if you had a documented anxiety disorder, you could ask for more time to take tests or turn in assignments and such.

I also would tell them, though I might do it after you are in academically and have a GA/TA/RA (and you are getting a GA/TA/RA, right?

Thanks guys, I have a better idea of how to approach this now. And I am trying to get a teaching assistantship

Great!

And since it is still comparatively early, you can seek out a few more schools, finding out what sort of TAs they have.

Frankly, I wouldn't consider any school that doesn't offer a TA.

Good luck. Keep us posted.