What are the benefits (if any) of disclosing a mental health diagnosis/disability? It's no secret that academics have a high rate of mental health diagnoses (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-03803-3), and that academic career paths may disproportionately attract people with serious mental health issues in the first place (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5824688/).

At the same time, many countries are beginning to recognize certain mental health diagnoses as disabilities.  I have always hid my diagnoses as much as possible-- partly because of the inconsistency of the diagnoses themselves from year to year and doctor to doctor, and partly because I had been advised by older mentors to do so.

So I wonder: are there benefits to disclosing a serious mental illness and applying for disability status?  I am thinking specifically of postdocs or professors; for students I am already aware of all the accomodations provided (at least by American and Western European universities).
I'll answer this part:


  are there benefits to disclosing a serious mental illness



If you are teaching, there are benefits to your students.  Many students have disabilities.  Students do better when they see successful people who are like them.  These role models increase students' belief in their own abilities, which is called self efficacy.  Students with higher belief in their own abilities learn more.  If you disclose your disability, it will help students with disabilities succeed academically.
For hiring and promotion purposes, some institutions consider performance relative to opportunity.  This sort of assessment is common in Australia, for example.  If your disability has reduced the opportunities available to you, then disclosure may make your achievements seem more impressive.


You did not ask about the potential disadvantages.