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In 2007, Clare, then aged 16, Adelaide, broke down in tears in a singing lesson during the final year of her International Baccalaureate (IB). For some time, Clare had been struggling with feelings of hopelessness and restlessness, but mistakenly assumed this was due to the compounding stress of her studies. Confiding in her singing teacher,…

Full-time forensic science student and musician, Kayla, 19, Melbourne was diagnosed with depression at 14 years of age following a medical issue that significantly compromised her health and wellbeing. The illness took a great toll on Kayla’s daily life, affecting her mood, preventing her from completing her school work, and rendering her unable to secure…

For much of his life, Sean, 29, Melbourne has battled the so-called “black dog.” At age 11, Sean, together with his family, undertook a group psychology session, in order to work through the emotional baggage that was crippling their family dynamic. Despite their best efforts however, by the time Sean celebrated his 13th birthday, his…

In April 2010, while working as a probation officer in London, Carly, then 29, slipped a disc in her back, which rendered her at home, unable to work or exercise. Prior to her injury, Carly had used exercise as a “coping” mechanism, given she had just emerged from a challenging relationship, and a year earlier,…

On November 5, 2010, then 28-year-old marketing manager, Leola, Sydney was in the bathroom at work, when she collapsed and fell to the floor. After waking up eight hours later in hospital, Leola was shocked to learn she had experienced a near-fatal brain aneurysm – a terrifying ordeal which would soon lead to a diagnosis of…

In March 2008, after relocating from Sydney to Canberra to attend university, then 19-year-old Anna found it hard to connect with new people. For the first time in her life, the usually bubbly young woman found herself overcome by loneliness. She nonetheless tried hard to “tough it out at university.” In July 2008, four months…

As we near the national news media launch of our Australian Genetics of Depression Study set for next Tuesday, April 4, 2017, we’re pleased to unveil our website. Clinical depression is a serious illness that affects physical and mental health. It is characterised by regular and intense feelings of sadness, moodiness or feeling low and…