Privacy--where to draw the line

[B_lrgeggs]

I was wondering how a person decides personal information and with who.
I am looking to volunteer with an organization and will probably share some personal information with this organization that I have not told anyone of my friends. I have issues dealing with depression..but keep in
to myself as I do not want others to worry. I only wonder if I use my friends as a reference, should I give them a heads up about my issues of deppresion. (my issues of deppession go to the fact that I am a closeted gay guy--which is way to painful of a subject for me to discuss with anyone on a casual basis) Any thougts or opionions would be greatly appreciated....thanks

 

[hud01]

I was wondering how a person decides personal information and with who.
I am looking to volunteer with an organization and will probably share some personal information with this organization that I have not told anyone of my friends. I have issues dealing with depression..but keep in
to myself as I do not want others to worry. I only wonder if I use my friends as a reference, should I give them a heads up about my issues of deppresion. (my issues of deppession go to the fact that I am a closeted gay guy--which is way to painful of a subject for me to discuss with anyone on a casual basis) Any thougts or opionions would be greatly appreciated....thanks

Personally I would never volunteer or work for any place where disclosing this information was a requirement to work for them.

I do not see a need to broadcast to the world your issues such as this.

 

[rob_just_rob]

I don't disclose personal info to groups that don't have reasonable protections in place, and even then, only when I have to.

This means employers, government, doctor, etc. If a charitable group wants a lot of information from me in order for me to volunteer with them, I won't volunteer with them.

 

[dolfette]

i would imagine that any medical info given them would be covered by confidentiality laws...

 

[SomeGuyOverThere]

I was wondering how a person decides personal information and with who.
I am looking to volunteer with an organization and will probably share some personal information with this organization that I have not told anyone of my friends. I have issues dealing with depression..but keep in
to myself as I do not want others to worry. I only wonder if I use my friends as a reference, should I give them a heads up about my issues of deppresion. (my issues of deppession go to the fact that I am a closeted gay guy--which is way to painful of a subject for me to discuss with anyone on a casual basis) Any thougts or opionions would be greatly appreciated....thanks

Any group that offers counselling should abide by confidentiality laws and have a lot of procedures in place to make sure any information they keep cannot be disclosed.

However, if you're just talking to people there while volunteering, that information you told them was told to them informally and therefore it's completely up to that person who they tell it to.

If you have issues you need to work through and are worried about confidentiality, I strongly suggest going for actual counselling or therapy where you'll talking to a qualified professional who you can trust with your most vulnerable thoughts and feelings.