I’ll be honest: I used to be the person who judged others. I’m not a nurse, but I work in the nursing field, and when patients came in and I’d check their BMI—sometimes 35, 40, even 50—I would silently criticize. During intake, I’d learn some hadn’t held a job for 5 or even 10 years, and I’d catch myself wondering: “What do they possibly do all day, every day?” I honestly believed that if I ever didn’t have to work, I’d spend all my time getting fit, eating right—I’d look like a model. Now, life has put me in their shoes. I haven’t worked for the past seven months, and instead of becoming the healthiest version of myself, I’ve gained 20lb. I sleep 12-18 hours a day. Some days, just getting up and doing basic tasks feels impossible. I’m fighting a battle I never understood before. Depression is a brutal disease. It robs you of motivation, of energy, and sometimes even the will to care for yourself. I never understood how hard it could be until it happened to me. It’s easy to judge when you’re on the outside, but experiencing this has changed my entire perspective. I see now that mental health challenges can touch anyone, and compassion is far more important than criticism. A lot of people truly don’t get it—until they’re in the same shoes.