Kim Hartrum from the National Alliance on Mental Illness South Carolina shares her personal journey with mental health challenges and how she now helps students recognize warning signs of mental illness and suicide. Through her lived experience with anxiety since childhood and a suicidal episode as an adult, Kim offers invaluable insights for parents on maintaining open communication with children about mental health.

• Anxiety in children often manifests as physical symptoms like stomachaches or resistance to attending school
• Young children can experience suicidal ideation - Kim's daughter asked "why she wanted to die" at just eight years old
• Mental health should be treated with the same urgency and normalization as physical health conditions
• Warning signs to watch for include withdrawal from activities, changes in sleep patterns, and extreme mood changes
• Resources available include NAMI support groups, school counselors, private therapists, and crisis lines
• Creating an environment where children feel comfortable sharing their feelings is crucial to early intervention
• Parents should learn their child's "red flags" and be prepared to act when multiple warning signs appear
• Isolation can be the most damaging aspect of mental health struggles
• Therapy can benefit children even before crisis points are reached to build coping skills

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, help is available 24/7 through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

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