>>> NOW TO PARIS FOR A STORY ABOUT THE CHALLENGES.

PARIS?

>> BRANDIS, IT IS VALENTINE'S DAY AND LOVE IS IN THE AIR.

BUT SOME PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH LOVE MORE THAN MOST.

STUDENTS FROM THE DePAUL UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AT INTEGRITY HAS THE STORY.

>> AS YOU KNOW, WE ALL SEARCH FOR LOVE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.

MANY STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS LIKE DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY FACE EVEN MORE OBSTACLES WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING A ROMANTIC CONNECTION.

ROXIE KNOWS THAT ALL TOO WELL.

>> FOR 26 YEARS I DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY TO TELL ME THEY LOVE ME.

I DIDN'T GET A CARD.

I FELT TRULY UNLOVABLE.

>> Reporter: ROXIE IS 27 YEARS OLD, LIVES IN CHICAGO, AND WORKS HARD TO COPE WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY.

>> I WOULD FEEL LIKE I WAS UNLOVABLE OR I HAD TOO MUCH BAGGAGE.

I FELT LIKE SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO BE WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY.

>> Reporter: ALEX UNDERSTANDS WHAT SHE IS SAYING COMPLETELY.

>> I COMPLETELY LET HER SEE ME.

>> Reporter: ALEX AND ROXIE MET IN A RECOVERY PROGRAM.

HE TOO STRUGGLES WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY.

IN THE PAST, BECAUSE OF HIS STIGMA, HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TELL POTENTIAL PARTNERS ABOUT HIS MENTAL HEALTH.

WITH ROXIE, HE SAID, HE WAS ABLE TO OPEN UP WITHOUT JUDGMENT.

>> I REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO SPEAK ABOUT HOW I FEEL AND TO FIND PEOPLE IN MY LIFE THAT WOULD BENEFIT.

>> Reporter: THE CELEBRATION OF VALENTINE'S DAY IS MARKED WITH FLOWERS, CARDS AND CANDY.

IT IS A TIME OF HOLDING HANDS.

FOR SOME WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IT CAN BE A HOLIDAY AS GRAY AND GLOOMY AS A CHICAGO WINTER.

>> I PICTURE MYSELF WITH DEPRESSION AND I DON'T LIKE MYSELF.

>> Reporter: WHEN PEOPLE MEET JASMINE, THEY MAY SEE A HAPPY SINGLE MOM AND BUSINESSWOMAN WHO IS ACTIVE IN HER COMMUNITY, YET POTENTIAL ROMANTIC PARTNERS MAY NOT YET COMPREHEND THE COMPLEXITY OF HER DEPRESSION.

>> THERE ARE DAYS THAT YOU MIGHT WAKE UP AND FEEL LIKE THE WORLD MIGHT BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU.

THERE ARE DAYS WHERE YOU CAN REALLY TALK YOURSELF INTO A HOLE.

YOU HAVE TO BE VERY STRONG TO PULL YOURSELF UP.

>> Reporter: BEING CANDID ABOUT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH ISN'T EASY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR LOVE AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DOING IT ONLINE!

HOW CANDID SHOULD YOU BE?

>> I HAVE BEEN ON DATING APPS THAT ASK QUESTIONS, AND I TRIED TO ANSWER WITH WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.

>> Reporter: I DON'T THINK THERE WAS EVER AN INTERESTS, HOBBIES, ARE YOU ON LEXAPRO TYPE QUESTION.

>> I LOOK AT IT AS A JOB INTERVIEW.

>> Reporter: SHE IS A CLINICAL THERAPIST WHO HAS WRITTEN ON THE SUBJECT OF DATING AND MENTAL ILLNESS.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T PUT ANY OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES ON YOUR RESUME OR YOUR COVER LETTER.

>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, MORE THAN 50% OF PEOPLE IN THE U.S. HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFETIME WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS OR DISORDER.

ON ALEX'S ARM IS A TATTOO.

WHY DO WE FALL?

IT IS A LINE FROM THE MOVIE BATMAN BEGINS.

THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS SO THAT WE CAN LEARN TO PICK OURSELVES UP.

>> IT IS SO TRUE.

WE HAVE BOTH FALLEN AND WE HAVE BOTH PICKED OURSELVES UP.

>> Reporter: AND SOME PEOPLE POP THE CORK BOARD DANCE A LITTLE CLOSER THIS VALENTINE'S DAY.

OTHERS WILL BE CELEBRATING PERHAPS A BIGGER ACHIEVEMENT.

FINDING LOVE AND LAUGHTER IN A WORLD WHICH CAN PRESENT GREAT CHALLENGES.

LAST YEAR ALEX GAVE ROXIE A VALENTINE'S DAY CARD.

AND ANOTHER ONE THIS YEAR.

THIS VALENTINE'S DAY FOR JASMINE WILL BE DEVOTED TO HER SON.

IF LOVE COMES SHE WILL ACCEPT IT, BUT SHE SAYS THAT SHE WILL ACCEPT IT ON HER OWN TERMS.

>> YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU CHOOSE REALLY HAS TO BE YOUR CHOICE.

THAT IS WHY I DON'T MIND DISCLOSING AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS IS WHERE I AM.

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.

I AM STILL WORKING ON MYSELF.

>> Reporter: SO HERE WE ARE IN THE FINAL HOURS OF VALENTINE'S DAY.

JENNIFER ACKNOWLEDGES JUST HOW STRESSFUL THIS DAY CAN BE.

SO WE ASKED HER.

WHAT IF SOMEONE OUT THERE IS TOO SCARED TO TRY?

HER RESPONSE WAS TELLING.

>> HEY CAROL, THE THREE PEOPLE YOU INTERVIEWED, THEY REALLY OPENED UP ABOUT SOME PERSONAL DETAILS.