Editor’s Note: May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Since 1949, May has been dedicated to educating the public about the reality of mental health in the U.S. and ending the stigmas that surround this. In honor of that history, we asked young people across California to share their own experiences with mental health issues. Read below to see what they had to say about mental health at home, in school and among their peers.

This post was made in collaboration with Youth Radio, Coachella Unincorporated, Access Sacramento, We’Ced Youth Mediaand YouthWire.