Dear Counsellor:

MY 16-YEAR-OLD son has been hearing voices and seeing strange things. His behaviour has deteriorated to the point where he is now quiet and withdrawn and sits in one place without moving for a long period of time. I took him to the hospital and he was admitted. My son doesn't smoke ganja and I don't know of a relative who is mentally ill. The doctor says he has Schizophrenia and I am concerned. I do not know anything about Schizophrenia and is fearful that he will not get better.

- Maureen

Dear Maureen:

Schizophrenia is a mental condition which is very treatable. Individuals may develop acute episodes or run a chronic course. There are a lot of medications available to treat Schizophrenia. The exact cause of Schizophrenia is unknown. Researchers have shown that individuals are born with a genetic predisposition which becomes manifested under stressful conditions. Schizophrenia affects about one per cent of the population.

Treatment of Schizophrenia depends on the involvement of the family. Therefore, the family needs to be educated about the condition. The family members need to ensure that the patient takes his medication, keeps appointments and be kept occupied. Work is therapy for people but the challenge of work might get too stressful.

The management of stress is of utmost importance for the Schizophrenic patient. We cannot avoid stress sometimes so we have to learn to cope with it. Both patient and family should learn to watch for early signs of the illness. In between episodes of illness, many individuals are free of symptoms. Some patients stop taking their medication whenever they feel they are better but this puts the patient at risk for another episode. Patients need to be on the medication for many years. The individual can work, have a career and a family. The family should see the disorder as a family problem and work wisely with the patient for improvement and wellness.

Keeping appointments are crucial as the illness can reoccur silently. The individual can become ill before realising that he is having an episode. There are mental health nurses and doctors across the island and so treatment is readily available. You don't have to despair or fret as your son will do well.

Dear Counsellor:

I AM a teacher in a high school and I have noticed that the children is preoccupied with sexual matters. Many of them are sexually active and the teenage pregnancy rate is increasing among the students. The girls feel that it is a prize to be graduating and pregnant or else they will be called a mule. The students' school work are poor because of their preoccupation with sex. I wonder about the experiences of other schools and ponder the solution to this problem.

- Marcia

Dear Marcia:

Children are a product of the society in which we live. Sexual matters are very prominent in the Jamaican culture and so the students are caught up in it. It is unfortunate that the children who are underperforming are the ones most likely to be involved in sexual practices. The low achievers are disappointed in their academic performance and want to find something else to focus on. Consider the students who have been failing since preschool and now have low self-esteem with little motivation. These students see themselves as failure and so are easily attracted to other activities. Underachievers are involved in substance abuse and illegal activities.

We can help these students by remedial education so that they can have a taste of success and become motivated to work at the challenges in school.

In some communities it is considered the norm for early sexual activities and pregnancies. Teenage pregnancy is a drawback for teenage girls who will find it difficult to complete their education and make successful careers.

In our sex education programmes we need to stress abstinence to the students. We need to emphasise the importance and benefits of abstinence. The students must realise that abstinence is normal and right and something to be valued and prized.

Parents should teach their children the value of abstinence and good refusal skills. Students need assertiveness training so that they can refuse to be involved in early sexual activities.