0:00  
Hi, my name is Selena Hill and when it comes down to it, at the bottom line I have anxiety and depression.

0:11  
Mental illness is a growing epidemic. Statistically, one in every three children will be diagnosed with a form of mental illness.

0:21  
I'm not opposed to my, my diagnosis. It's something that's always been a part of me, nobody will be a part of me and I don't feel one way or the other about it. What I don't like is the stigma around it. Like people seem to think that they can't be around people who have a mental illness of any sort because they'll somehow catch it.

0:43  
This is one of the common perceptions under the stigma.

0:47  
A lot of the time, you meet people who are anxious and depressed, and you wouldn't even know it, because generally speaking, these people have a very good ability to hide it. A lot of people weren't aware that I have these issues until I said them and then they kind of go, now you don't have that. Yeah, I do.

1:07  
Hunter Himmal has over a decade of experience working with children with disabilities and special needs. He encourages others to steer away from the stigma.

1:22  
It upsets me because all these people is a situation by situation basis, but they all have good qualities. And they may be fearful because someone makes involuntary sounds and noises. Not really that does upset me that people can't look past the the outside things the material things, if you will.

1:50  
Taylor Laced is studying child youth and family at gwelf and is becoming a registered early childhood educator. She also has two years as the sunshine special needs coordinator at BVG camp. She believes that the stigma is lessening, however, more should be done. 

2:14  
But I think that acceptance and tolerance of people who are quote unquote, different still needs to be worked on more. So this past summer, I worked with triplets, all three of them with severe severe cerebral palsy, all three in wheelchairs, one nonverbal very, very high needs. And a lot of the kind of stigma around them is the negative reactions that we got from other children their age. They were eight years old. I feel more came from the parents. So I think that parents kind of becoming tolerant and accepting of people that are different and people with special needs is the first step in order to make our society more accepting. So I noticed that when parents were very accepting their children kind of realize that this is okay, this is normal. And those types of children's are the ones that are friends of the triplets. However, some parents looked at it as they're different. You don't need to be friends with them and then those kids in their cabin didn't have much of an interest in being friends with them. So I think it's that. I think that people need to realize that giving others a chance whether they appear different or not. I don't think it's something that they would regret. And I think that that is what people still need to learn. I think people need to realize that it's okay to be different.

3:26  
Taylor believes that inclusivity, awareness, tolerance, and acceptance go a long way.

3:35  
Making people aware, because some people aren't aware of the differences that they don't see. And the amazing factors that do come into disabilities and the main aspects of people whether they have a disability or not. I think that making people more aware.

3:49  
This is a common theme among Taylor, Selena and Hunter. It takes more than just accepting that someone has an invisible disability.

4:06  
I'm aware that some people bind to stigma just because they're uneducated. So I really honestly would say, get educated, learn about these things. Read about it, find out, like, figure it out, learn it for yourself. I think once you've done that, if you're still close minded about it then keep your opinions to yourself. Because honestly, yes, you're entitled to your opinion, but if it's not helpful, don't say it. There are people who are struggling out there and they do not need more negative things thrown at them.

4:42  
In order for us to accept, we must understand our differences and embrace that diversity, because together we can stop the stigma.  For News Night, this is Amanda Woodrow.