@intparent that’s a really good point, thanks. Could mental illness really affect the admissions decision? Disability is a protected class, right? In any case, better to not open that door to begin with, since you never know who will read the essay. Being less specific is a really great way to avoid having the explanation sound more like an excuse.
Do you (or does anyone else) think putting a short note at the end of the essay could negatively influence the decision, even if it was short, formal, and not overly specific?