Working in Professional and Managerial Jobs

Have you run into some of these common stereotypes about mental illness at work? Perhaps someone has told you that because of your diagnosis, you'll never be capable of earning an advanced degree or being promoted to a supervisory position. Maybe you've been told that you can't make decisions on your own or that your work must be supervised by someone else at all times. If you held a high-level job before your diagnosis, you may even have been told you'll never be capable of returning to it -- that the best you can hope for is an entry-level, low-wage, or dead-end position.

Conventional wisdom has long held that people with psychiatric disabilities can't handle the stress of well-paying, responsible careers. However, research results have indicated otherwise. To find out more, read the following article, which is available as a free download at http://www.bu.edu/cpr/resources/articles/2005/abstracts2005.html#elison2005.

Ellison, M.A., Russinova, Z, Massaro, J., Lyass, A. (2005). People with Schizophrenia Employed as Professionals and Managers: Initial Evidence and Exploration. Schizophrenia Research, 76(1), 123-125.

Note: The information contained in these pages is for educational purposes only, and is not legal advice. Individuals should contact the appropriate legal resources for specific legal advice regarding their particular situations.