Columbia (WLTX) -- Tuesday was Children's Mental Health Awarness day and a group of supporters and survivors rallied at the steps of the State House to end the stigma associated with children's mental health.
According to Diane Flashnick, Director of The Federation of Families of South Carolina, "There are so many people that really don't understand that mental health is just like physical health, there's treatment, medication, it is a real disorder just like heart disease and diabetes."
Flashnick said, one in five children in South Carolina have mental health needs, one of those children was seventeen year-old Ashlee Watkins.
Watkins said, "I thought that there was nothing to live for and that I didn't deserve to be a part of anything, so that night I took a whole bottle of NyQuil and silt my wrists."
Watkins was lucky, she survived that suicide attempt and a few others, now she is speaking up for other children who may be going through the same things she did.
"Now that I have completely gotten myself back together I feel more confident about myself and I want to help others," said Watkins.
Watkins believes that's why it is so important for her to speak out and reduce the stigmas around children's mental health. "If you feel like you have issues or problems or you know someone who does get them help and get yourself help," said Watkins.With all the help available, there can be many more success stories just like Watkins.
According to Flashnick, "Children who have mental health needs are just like every other child, but they do need some special understanding and interventions."
Flasknick went on to say an estimated 135,000 children in South Carolina have mental health needs and 88,000 of those are either unserved or underserved.
For more information on The Federation of Families of South Carolina go to their website at www.fedfamsc.org.
5/7/2009 9:33:54 AM
