Dear Counsellor:

My brother has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He refuses to take the medication and gets aggressive at times. He tends to wander the streets and doesn't attend to his personal hygiene.

- Sharon

Dear Sharon:

A caregiver's life is not an easy one. It is difficult to deal with aggressive individuals. You have several options open to you. You can get in contact with the community mental-health team who will visit him monthly to give an injection. It will cause his behaviour to improve.

The aggression has to be dealt with in various ways. You could consider placing your brother in a nursing home or a group home. In both institutions, your brother will be under supervision and will get the oral medication and the injection.

Most patients who take their medication are able to function normally. Compliance with medication regimen is the key to recovery. Your brother doesn't have to spend the rest of his life in a nursing home but he needs to be adequately treated so that his functionality can improve. Just look in the telephone directory for the list of nursing homes.

Patients on the streets can be taken to a shelter where they can bathe and have a meal. In Kingston, there is a drop-in centre and there are shelters in other parishes for people who live on the streets.

Relatives often have a problem dealing with aggressive individuals, who make them fearful. Ask for help when dealing with aggressive individuals.

When your brother is calm, try to take him to the nearest clinic and explain the situation to the doctor.

How do I deal with my son's autism

Dear Counsellor:

My son is 10 years old and has been diagnosed with autism. His speech and language have improved over the years but he gets aggressive at times.

- Marlene

Dear Marlene:

Autism has become a common diagnosis. These children have a variety of symptoms. Each child is unique and therapy has to be tailored accordingly. Many children grow into adulthood with the condition. Adults with autism function at various levels. Usually, if intervention is done early and comprehensively, the outcome is good.

Aggression is a problem for some children and this can be remedied with behaviour-modification therapy and medication. Oftentimes the children get aggressive if their needs are not being met; sometimes they become aggressive because of brain dysfunction.

You will need to identify the conditions under which the aggression has taken place. What's your son's behaviour like? Is he frustrated? Is he very angry? What are the alternative behaviours? Is he rewarded for his aggression? Is he creatively challenged? Is he occupied productively? Is he overwhelmed by the work he is given? All these questions are important in the determination of the causes of the aggression.

You will need to take him to a psychiatrist to evaluate the aggressive behaviour.

Having personal or family problems? Email questions to Dr Yvonnie Bailey-Davidson at yvonniebd@hotmail.com or call her at 978-8602.