Schizophrenia and confidentiality?

I have a serious problem. I'm a psychology major, and I work in social work at a crisis residential shelter. But I've noticed for the past few months that I'm showing symptoms of schizophrenia. And it's only getting worse as time goes on. I want to seek help for this, but I'm afraid of losing my career. If my employer finds out, can I get fired? Or would confidentiality laws protect me? I desperately need help, but I refuse to get it if it endangers my career..

If you truly have schizophrenia and DO NOT get help you will not have a career as your symptomatology will get progressively worse and this will affect your job performance. With tx you may very well be able to keep your job (as long as your symptomatology is adequately controlled (ADA requires reasonable accommodation - if your behavior is not reasonable it does not have to be accommodated). Now as for treatment, you are very much covered by confidentiality (this means the psychiatrist you are seeing can not tell your employer). However, if you are getting insurance through your employer they may get information from the insurance carrier. Now they can not fire you because of your diagnosis or the medication you are taking. They can only fire you because of your behavior.

DA

It's illegal to fire an employee based on a disability, and a psychiatrist would be bound by patient/doctor confidentiality. Not getting help would endanger your career far more than getting it.

Se a psychiatrist without telling them what your occupation is and receive an anonymous diagnosis.
Then re Analise the situation.

Also..
After studying the symptoms of any illnesses it is only natural to begin to see them in yourself.. So make sure that you don't self diagnose and receive a professional UN biased oppinion.

You can seek help without anyone knowing your occupation. I'm afraid that if you don't address this problem, you won't end up with a career at all. Please help yourself, so you will be healthy enough to help others! Much luck to you.

Confidentiality laws do protect you. Have you ever wondered why your psychology professors seem the craziest? It is usually because they too have some sort of a mental defect.
The majority of the people who get into the Psychology and/or Psychiatry field are mentally ill.
You have NOTHING to worry about in this matter, your employer cannot find out and you cannot get fired for such a thing.

it can stay on your medical record and yes some employer can check on it and may not want to hire you but not always if you sign confidentiality