Joseph Cunningham, Gleaner WriterA group of medical students from the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona have volunteered to take a one-year mental health campaign to high schools across Jamaica.
The Medical Students' Association of the University of the West Indies (UWIMSA) are holding workshops across Jamaica focusing on a given disorder for a two-month period. They will begin with depression, which according to UWIMSA President Renee Mahlee, is going undiagnosed among many young people, leading ultimately to suicide in the worst cases.
"It is a campaign to reduce the effects of the epidemic on Jamaica's people, by educating them that a mental disorder does not mean that a person is mad," explained vice-president Keisha Brown.
"Depression is a form of mental disorder, so is anxiety disorder and stress disorder, which, are all different from mental retardation," added Ms. Brown.
"We want to remove the stigma attached to mental disorders by way of education."
The campaign was launched on Thursday with a workshop at the Mona campus, which was open to the public. It focused on signs and symptoms of depression and ways to seek help and methods of treatment.
Participating high schools include Campion College, Immaculate Conception High School, Queen's School, Hillel Academy and Wolmer's Girls. So far, only high schools in Kingston and St. Andrew have become involved. However, other high schools are invited to take part.
For more information, contact Keisha Brown at UWIMSA. Telephone: 859-2592.
