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Throughout high school, Alex Medland had always been a high-achieving, self-motivated student, putting the pursuit of A-grades ahead of her mental wellbeing.
And mum Melanie reckons when you're a bit of a perfectionist, like her eldest daughter, you follow through with 100 percent commitment to everything - including anxiety and depression.
Although the pair can share a wry smile about it now, they don't downplay the family's suffering after journeying alongside Alex, then 17, as she battled severe mental illness in 2018.
What started with regular tears, a panic attack at her school ball and slowly withdrawing from family time, scarily turned into depression, self-harm and attempted suicide.
“Sometimes when your child gets sick, you think it's your teenager just being a teenager and you don't know if them sleeping in is something you need to be more concerned about," says Melanie.
This story is from the March 28, 2022 edition of New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
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This story is from the March 28, 2022 edition of New Zealand Woman's Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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