An East Haven woman talked publicly for the first time Saturday about her mental health journey on the eve of Mental Wellness Month.

Victoria Molta self-published a book called "Lost Before I Could See: Navigating My Way Through Mental Illness."

The 64-year-old author told News 12 her book is a moving testament to the power of confronting mental illness head on.

"My bottom-line message is don't give up. Don't give up, always have hope that you can get better. Never, ever give up," Molta stressed. "You have to have the self-awareness. You have to be able to look inside yourself. If you deny it, or you don't want to look at it, you're not going to get better."

Molta will be recognized in Bridgeport next month for helping to build awareness about mental health and addiction. She also works to de-stigmatize those topics.

Molta's book is available online.