Disclosure: What is the point and for whom?

Abstract

Background

Today mental health is embedded in a discourse of disclosure. Many people with lived experience of mental illness have decided to move out of the closet to talk about their personal experiences.

Aims

To look at the context of disclosure and on the questions of why disclose and for whom. How much do we know and how does our knowledge correspond with today's discourse of disclosure in mental health?

Methods

Narrative reviewing today's discourse of disclosure on the basis of both scientific and experience-based knowledge as well as from my personal experience.

Results

The scientific and experience-based knowledge of the benefits and costs of disclosure is limited, but points to mixed results and many risks on a personal level. At the same time, it leaves us with several unanswered questions.

Conclusions

There is a need to always define the context of disclosure and to make professionals aware of different disclosure strategies and respond to the dilemmas. It is also crucial to emphasise that the planning and patterns of disclosure belong to the person with lived experience of mental illness and nobody else.

Keywords:

• stigma
• disclosure
• coming out
• recovery

Acknowledgement

Special thanks to Olga Runciman (http://www.madinamerica.com/author/orunciman/), who patiently worked through the article for publication in an English language journal.

Declaration of Interest: The authors report no conflict of interest.