mental disorder confidentiality?

[insideout]

I have had to take a lot of time off work in the last few months. i was out for the whole month of october and before that several weeks here and there. mostly all my time off was unpaid. so i couldnt afford my bills. a while back i had to use my credit cards for living expenses and food cuz i wasnt workin sometimes. then i simply stopped paying my bills. i had two jobs but had to quit one because my mental disorder causes me to be completely debilitated for indeterminate periods of time. and it causes me to spend money sometimes. (bipolar disorder)
when i file for bankruptcy, will i have to disclose this disability/disorder? isnt bankruptcy public info?
how can i get around disclosure of my condition without my bankruptcy being considered fraud?

[HHM]

You won't have to disclose it an any documents...but when you are under oath, you may be asked to explain the circumstances that led to you filing Bankruptcy.

[FreshLikeADaisy]

Insideout, I am in a similar situation where I don't need to have the details of my disability spelled out in publicly available documents. So basically, because I do receive some benefits based on my disability, I had to use that specific word, but I did not mention any details and I doubt I will be asked. If you do not receive any benefits because of your condition you won't have to bring it up at all in your filing.

If you are asked at the 341 (under oath, as HHM mentioned) what circumstances led you to bankruptcy, you could always make it very brief and general, such as, "I have some ongoing health issues that necessitate me taking time off work and prevent me from relying on a steady income." That statement could mean anything from migraines to cancer.

Now, that doesn't cover whatever charges you made while you were on the upside of bipolar, but it does give a general and honest answer, and you may find that's all you need, if you need it at all. Good luck!

[genseeker]

I was awarded SSDI a couple months before we filed and did list my disability income. At our 341, the trustee did ask why I got disability and if I might be able to work again sometime. I simply replied that I have multiple medical problems and that I take several different meds daily. I also stated that even with my disability, I bring in a very small amount every month (around $150). I ended it with letting him know that it is difficult to manage my condition, that it requires multiple meds to function somewhat normally, and that no cure exists and doctors don't even know what causes it. My trustee was fine with that explanation, although if he wanted more detail, I was prepared to ask him for a private interview since the details of my medical conditions are private and should remain that way.

*I have fibromyalgia, RLS, ADHD, PTSD, acute chronic depression are just the ones that affect me the most although I do have other problems.