"Before I learned about mental health, I didn't really understand myself. I was judging others," she adds. "Now I realize that I'm just like them, " she says.

Gwen stresses the importance of understanding her own needs as a personal baseline before she can help others. "No one knows what someone else is going through. People are constantly battling challenges they may not know how to handle, " she says.

Mental health awareness is the ongoing effort to reduce the stigma around mental illness and mental health conditions. Learning about available resources and sharing personal experiences helps all of us heal and make a difference.

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