I was diagnosed in 7th grade, although I did see a therapist in elementary school, but that was just because this girl had been bullying me, but 7th grade I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and it’s been a problem for me ever since.
Middle school was the worst, I think. I’ve seen multiple psychiatrists, I’ve tried therapy multiple times, different kinds, I did have one or two suicide attempts in middle school. The beginning of high school was a little hard for me just because I was pushing myself so hard academically because I’m like an all honors, AP student. I ended up missing like a month of school because I was in a treatment facility out of state. I didn’t actually learn about it until the day before I went there. Most of the people there, they knew about it and were preparing to go. My parents told me the night before we left, and my mom had already packed — of course she packed all the wrong stuff cause that’s moms for you. I just found out the day before. I was not happy, but I don’t think anyone would be happy. I did agree that there was a problem, I didn’t think that it needed to mean going to [the treatment facility], I think the biggest problem though was my parents did it without my permission and without telling me about it.
I think it [my mental health has improved] has improved, I’ve had down days and up days and that’s always been the case, but I think starting high school and a couple times in middle school were really the worst of it. I’m kinda getting over it.
If I’m having a panic attack I have this special room in CHS that I go to, but a lot of times for my conditions, personally it’s really just about fighting through, that’s what my parents always say, you just gotta push through. I have to get through the school day and then I can go home and I can relax and I can heal, it’s not really something, even with all my medications and all my treatment, there’s not really one cure. It’s about pushing through and persevering.
