Anne, in Australia, we have Kinergarten, then primary eduation (1 year of preparatory school, then grades 1-6), then seconday school, (years 7 to 12), then Teriary Study, which is TAFE (Technical and further Education -which is the same as Community College in the US) and then Undergrad degrees, post grad degree etc. I did two TAFE courses and an Undergraduate degree all while having a blackout drinking lifestyle, being undiagnosed and unmedicated for mental illness and also no therapy during that period. I was very successful but I was a mess and no doubt an absolute pain in the arse to work with.

I came from a terrible life-destroying upbringing, so I am proud that I did all that study and had my career success. I haven't worked for three years now and tried to go back my career last year with an enormous amount of help from my mental health team and an excellent job agency. I did a transitional stint with a small community organisation and then I got a job in my field (PR and communications), but I couldn't cut it - it is very deadline driven and a very pressured, stressful career and i don't have the capacity to handle that anymore, thus I am going to give study a crack - in a new field for me - Sustainability.