Part 2/7:
AJ recalls her initial encounter with mental health issues at the age of ten, characterized by severe anxiety, lethargy, and unexplainable sadness that had physical manifestations. Despite her overwhelming feelings, she felt unable to express her struggles to adults, as her family endured extreme poverty and hardship, leading her to internalize her pain. It wasn’t until around the age of twenty that the accumulation of these feelings escalated to a life-threatening overdose, a pivotal moment that prompted a shift in her understanding and management of her mental health.