Should People with Serious Mental Issues be Teachers

[AbsurdEffigy]

I'm gonna make this super easy to follow and not pretend to be vague. I have Panic Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, and Major Clinical Depression with Psychotic features. That means that I suffer from psychosis, but not from a specific psychotic disorder. Now, I have wanted to teach since I was a kid. This seemed feasible up until recently. Well, recently for me, but apparently now some people tell me they knew how bad I was up to 4 years ago.Now I am hardly stable, and trying to get on SSI so I can move out of my mothers house and closer to school. Which is where my question starts to come in. First of all, I am being treated now, and recovering slowly. I am just concerned that even once I get through this rough spot I still wouldn't be considered fit to be around kids. I want to teach high school English. Sometimes medications don't work and I feel like students would notice different behavior patterns. How would you feel if your teacher was like this? Or if somehow you found out they had a bunch of mental problems? Do you think this is life altering enough for me to consider a different field?

[sora wonk]

During class one of my teachers explained that he had bipolar disorder and always struggled with anxiety and depression. He was a little strange, but everyone really liked him because he was kind and fun and fair. He taught successfully an AP class at one of the top 50 high schools in the country. He was a great guy.

I don't know what it's like having these disorders, but it seems like a good idea to work towards something instead of limiting yourself. A couple of my teachers and professors have been completely crap--bullying foreign students, absolutely no teaching skill, immature and reactive, etc--but they didn't limit themselves.

It may of course be good to talk frankly with your psychiatrist because I don't know the particulars.

But I mean, what are the alternatives?

[AbsurdEffigy]

soracious wonk

During class one of my teachers explained that he had bipolar disorder and always struggled with anxiety and depression. He was a little strange, but everyone really liked him because he was kind and fun and fair. He taught successfully an AP class at one of the top 50 high schools in the country. He was a great guy.

I don't know what it's like having these disorders, but it seems like a good idea to work towards something instead of limiting yourself. A couple of my teachers and professors have been completely crap--bullying foreign students, absolutely no teaching skill, immature and reactive, etc--but they didn't limit themselves.

It may of course be good to talk frankly with your psychiatrist because I don't know the particulars.

But I mean, what are the alternatives?

Well I do have an alternative. I could go into Sign Language interpreting. I am picking up the language very fast. I just have my heart set on teaching. Teaching to me is the most rewarding.

[sora wonk]

AbsurdEffigy

Well I do have an alternative. I could go into Sign Language interpreting. I am picking up the language very fast. I just have my heart set on teaching. Teaching to me is the most rewarding.

I see. If that's what you want to do, I think you should do it. Teaching is relatively stable and it's definitely very rewarding! Also it'd be the best for everyone because you'd be happy and the kids would be happy because you are enjoying yourself. Have you taught before? There are nonprofits that need teacher volunteers and they are great for experience if you have the time.

[Zawsky]

I am completely supporting you.
If you feel and acknowledge this is the job where you will give out all your efforts no matter what, then that's enough.

[AbsurdEffigy]

Zawsky

I am completely supporting you.
If you feel and acknowledge this is the job where you will give out all your efforts no matter what, then that's enough.

Thank you for the positivity biggrin

[Sher!ock]

I think if the disorder doesn't interfere with the person's ability to professionally do a normal job,
then the person is fit to be a teacher
(assuming the disorder is the only potential disqualifier).

Unless the disorder is somehow specific to kids
(phobia, fetish, whatever),
I don't see why it would disqualify a person from teaching
but not disqualify them from any other field.

I think my bottom line is:
Is it serious enough to interfere with professionally getting the job done?

I dunno much about you specifically,
but whether you're fit to teach now or not,
I imagine that there's sufficient treatment for you
that you can be fit to teach some day,
and having that goal would probably be helpful in recovering,
and achieving that goal would probably help prevent relapse.

[luze]

i agree with what others have said, go for it, doing what your heart tells you to might just be the key to full recovery.
but honestly i do think of how cruel kids were in my highschool time and they didn't hesitate to pick on a teachers personal weaknesses and make them cry. fingers crossed this is not going to happen to you and that you have good defense mechanisms to not let such behavior get to you.

[29Dreams]

AbsurdEffigy

soracious wonk

During class one of my teachers explained that he had bipolar disorder and always struggled with anxiety and depression. He was a little strange, but everyone really liked him because he was kind and fun and fair. He taught successfully an AP class at one of the top 50 high schools in the country. He was a great guy.

I don't know what it's like having these disorders, but it seems like a good idea to work towards something instead of limiting yourself. A couple of my teachers and professors have been completely crap--bullying foreign students, absolutely no teaching skill, immature and reactive, etc--but they didn't limit themselves.

It may of course be good to talk frankly with your psychiatrist because I don't know the particulars.

But I mean, what are the alternatives?

Well I do have an alternative. I could go into Sign Language interpreting. I am picking up the language very fast. I just have my heart set on teaching. Teaching to me is the most rewarding.

I have Paranoid Schizophrenia, ADD, Social Anxiety Disorder, and PTSD. I am not a teacher but I am in school and with every new semester i need to talk to my instructors on the first day to let them know my situation. Most take it real well and said that if there is anything I need, don't hesitate to ask. I'll admit that some are terrified of me but that is out of ignorance. Lately one of my instructors has given me the best compliment i could ever get. My instructor said, and stands by what he said, that I seem to be just like all the other students.

What I am getting at is that you shouldn't let your illness prevent you from your dream. Treat everyone equally and don't be afraid of following your dreams. Just look past some people's ignorance.

Good luck with all your dreams and I hope you are very successful. smile

[AliKat1988]

What you need is good social support and to help get your symptoms stable. There are far worse conditions people have and they are capable of teaching. There are prominent professorrs who have borderline personality, bipolar or schizophrenia. If you fear your symptoms are prone to destabilize but can manage your symptoms then get a masters in something and seek a position at a community college. Adults know to behave better in public even if you temporarily seem odd to them you can get into good graces better by explaining you were feeling "ill" you don't even have to say how.

[Littlest Paw]

Mental illness varies from person to person, but if you are able to keep things manageable, there is no reason you couldn't teach. Take for example Elyn Saks, she has schizophrenia and is a college professor.

[AbsurdEffigy]

Thanks for all the support, I needed it.

[An Invisible Shapeshifter]

If it affects your teaching and will be harmful to the students, then, no, you shouldn't be a teacher. But if it is manageable, as many people said, then go for it.

However, it appears that many teachers have severe issues, so even if you do have problems you'll probably be allowed to teach. A lot of my high school teachers had severe issues, definitely adversely affecting the students more than yours would be. I still think that if it can be hurtful to your students, to get to a point where you can manage things first. I think you need to consider here more if (in your state/country) whether the situation of teaching fits you- in my state, it is extremely stressful to be a teacher- exacerbating problems. It's not uncommon, but make sure that you have it under control. For example, grading people on neatness versus understanding work and having freakouts about that, might be a bit not good. (Our teacher did do that and she was allowed to teach, but it was detrimental to the classroom).

[nitznitz]

Anxiety and depression shouldn't be a problem, but bipolar, any form of psychosis, autism and most personality disorders should be.

[AmericanMonster]

As long as you aren't a danger to yourself or others , or suffer from any sexual deviations that would put you at risk of committing a crime, I dont see why you could not be a teacher.