I left school in 2008 (yr 12 take one) because of panic disorder/anxiety/depression. It's pretty common for hsc kids to experience a panic attack every now and then. The difference is, mine was a chemical imbalance - and I totally get how you ask "how can a doctor tell the difference bla bla bla", because I also believed that prior to being diagnosed myself. T
here is a massive stigma for mental disorders, and no offence to you, but I think that's where your "ignorance" lies. The doctors have to rule out all physiological factors, ie. brain tumors can cause mood changes, thyroid problems can cause anxiety, etc (in this case, you dont have clinical anxiety or depression because its a symptom/secondary to your illness) and if nothing physiological is ruled out, they have extensive criteria you have to meet to be diagnosed with clinical depression or an anxiety disorder. So, yes, there is a huge difference to "I am feeling down because I have an assessment tomorrow morning" and "I don't want to get out of bed because the prospect of attempting to go about everyday life just makes me sick to my stomach"...even simple things like walking to the shops to get milk, or making a phone call can cause you to go into panic mode and just freak out...because its out of your control. And trust me, no one actually WANTS to feel like that.
It's clinical, its a chemical imbalance, and that is why there is medication for mental illnesses, just to get a sufferer through the day...and that is why there is EAS for highschool kids with an anxiety disorder or clinical depression, because trying to cope with an illness which can often be incapacitating, AND complete your hsc is HARD and your marks can suffer, and how is it fair if your marks are complete shit because you suffer from something completely out of your control??
Rant over