First I want to say that I think it's really good that you're working to get this all under control before it takes a more serious toll on your well-being.  I know that getting in for treatment isn't always the easiest thing to do, so it's great that you're taking charge here.

Moving on to the root of the question, privacy concerning your mental health history in a government job.  From everything I've learned and read (I am a psych major and have covered this a bit), all information about this should be confidential under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA).  In this legislation, there is a stipulation (located in the Privacy Rule) that protects all protected health information.  Protected health information basically includes all of your medical history, medical records, and payments to institutions that provide medical care.  I believe that the only way these can be accessed would be if you were to get in legal trouble for something, and the records were subpoenaed by a judge for the investigation.

So in short, the answer to your question is that no, you don't have to worry about an employer (even a government one) finding out about this.  The only way they could would be if you disclosed your records to them.  It is actually illegal for them to access your records on their own, and (if they manage to get them) discriminate against you because of them.

As far as setting you back, I think that if you do this and still are enrolled in classes at the time, then yes, you will be set back.  Missing even a week of class in college can get you pretty far behind.  Because of this, I would have to recommend taking a semester off to get things sorted out.  Lots of people take a semester or even a year off at some point in their college career.  In the long run, I think your own well-being is a lot more important than getting out of college one semester earlier.  I would take the time off and get yourself healthy.

All in all, I wouldn't be too worried about what your life will be like after.  You aren't ruining any opportunities for yourself by doing this.  You're getting your life back on track, and hopefully working through some of the problems that have been holding you back thus far.  When you get out, the hope is that you'll be prepared to get a fresh start on college, as well as life.

Again, don't worry about employment or your college finding out about this.  It is all protected.  If you want to read more about this, you can check out HIPAA's website.  They have the full text of the act.

If you have any other questions about this, or need to talk to someone, don't hesitate to PM me.  I would be happy to help you out.  

Take care.

=Isobel

Posted at 11:15 pm on Nov. 17, 2008