Hi everyone! I don't want to share my real name, but you guys can call me Tea :) I'm currently in my final year of high school and nearly 18. I'm aiming to be a language teacher. I enjoy music, food, anime and all things cozy. I have lots of hobbies and interests, but I lost my passion and motivation for a lot of them years ago. I've come to this community in hopes of finding and offering support and advice. I look forward to interacting with everyone! For this post, I'll highlight the key points as a kind of TLDR.

A bit of background... I hit rock bottom in 2017, and although I've grown so much since, I still experience a few mental health issues. I went to a few counselling sessions during this time (about four 30-min sessions?), but my father suddenly decided to stop taking me; he didn't give me notice or tell me why, I simply stopped attending, but I believe my father saw improvement and assumed that I didn't need it anymore. Now, I generally struggle to be content for more than a week or verbally communicate my emotions. I also experience sudden (and perhaps seasonal?) depressive episodes, during which I'm very emotionally unavailable and low functional. I manage to hide these episodes from everyone except my s.o as it really strains my romantic relationship. I'd love to go back to counselling, but I've never had the courage to reveal to my parents that my depression was never really 'cured'.

Anyway, my first depressive episode of this year started recently, but I can't afford to go through this, as I'm in the midst of my HSC and really want to do well. Even counselling feels like a waste of time, even if I were to work up the courage to ask my parents. Does anyone have any advice to offer me to get through this school year, study hard and manage my mental health?

Thank you all in advance, for even just skimming through this introduction/first post. Sending you all buckets of hope, positivity and strength :)

Also, I'm sorry if I posted this in the wrong area... This is my first post and I'm still trying to navigate the forum page. If I should repost the second part of my post elsewhere, please let me know (as well as how and where) !!

Hi Tea and welcome to the forums and for your brave first post.I have daughter 17 who is her final year of school and I could see some similarities with you.I am sorry you struggle with depression episodes.Does the school know that you do suffer from depression?My daughters school knows about her complete mental health and they work with us so she can get through her schooling.I know it is really hard to tell your parents about it but if you can manage the courage it might help and maby seeing a counselling again can get you through this year.
Take care,
Mark.

Sounds like you know you need a team to help you through this year. I would start with the school counsellor, you could see them without requiring permission from parents/guardian.

After that I think you would benefit from asking mum/dad to restart the counselling you had previously since that was working for you. Mental health needs maintenance even during the good times in my experience, it is rarely something that gets fixed after 4 visits.

A letter from the school counsellor to your dad/mum could break the ice and make talking about your health easier.

Hi Mark! Thank you for your quick response. It's really lovely to hear that I'm not the only 17 year old dealing with this, and that there are lovely parents such as yourself that are doing your best to help your daughter. It's reassuring to hear this from a parent who understands. I'll look into seeing the school counsellor, but I hear that they're very hard to arrange meetings with; I'll keep this thread updated!

Take care as well, and good luck to your daughter with her HSC!

Tea

Hi david'n'goliath!

Thank you so much for your quick response. Breaking the ice that is a great idea! And the thing about constant maintenance was really comforting and validating. I'll look into seeing the school counsellor, but I hear that they're very hard to arrange meetings with; I'll keep this thread updated!

Have a lovely day :)

Hi Tea my daughter is in a small country high school and talking the school counsellor isn't problem for us.I have heard in larger schools it is a bit harder to get in but definately worth it for you.Their is a lot more support these days I'm the schools so I hope you can get through your final year well.
Take care,
Mark.