Life...
Expect Turbulence.
Name: Kate Hobbins
Age: 18
Occupatioin: Fulltime Student
What were you doing this time last year? How have things changed? This time last year I was in year 12 and that's never easy for anyone, but one of my closest friends had passed away, and you know life was just getting pretty terrifying. This year I’m a lot happier, and satisfied with who I am, and where I am now.
What was your high school experience ? Well it was very untraditional. I started at an all girls private school and in year 10 I transferred to a flexischool. I just felt like I couldn’t cope with the way main schooling worked, and flexischool was just so supportive, it felt like home. Which was a nice change to mainstream schooling.
What is a little piece of advice you want to give your future self? Keep on keeping on. You’ve been through worse, you can make it through this. You are 100% smarter than you realise and braver too. You are a fighter, and I believe in you.
When were you diagnosed with a mental illness? 2012, but I had been dealing with the symptoms of mental illness for most of my life. For instance when I was small I would never leave my mum's side, and I struggled to leave the house. There was a lot of crying and nashing of teeth.
If you didn’t have a brain in your head what would you have instead? Is it bad I want to say flowers? The flowers would always be in bloom.
Whats your support network like? Super strong, my mum, and grandma are always checking up on me. When I was younger my grandma would take me out on little adventures just to make sure I was getting out. The women in my life are very important to me.
What term do you prefer to use, panic attacks or anxiety attacks? I prefer to call them anxiety attacks, because panic really doesn’t cover the depth of what I am feeling in that moment. I just feel so overwhelmed, it is debilitating.
How has your perception of mental illness changed since your diagnosis? Mental illness runs in my family, so it has always been very present in my life. Since being diagnosed I realise how debilitating it can be, and have a lot more respect for people with these illnesses, like I now know sometimes it's physically impossible to do something if your brain just won’t cooperate.
Do you have any strategies that help you process your anxiety? When I have an anxiety attack my brain just kind of stops working, and I have no idea what to do which is not helpful. After I have an anxiety attack I usually talk it out with mum, and think of ways to prevent freaking out next time.
By Rose O'Shannessy.