Two years ago, for her sweet sixteen, Samantha was celebrated for her inimitable drive. She had just received an honors award from her high school for academic excellence, and had several scholarship offers for her accomplishments in science class. Samantha was a progressive thinker with a remarkable grasp on natural sciences. In 2006, Samantha grabbed the attention of her neighborhood when she wrote a compelling article emphasizing the importance of recycling for the local newspaper. Her article even convinced the mayor, prompting a more efficient recycling system for the town.
Shortly after her sixteenth birthday Samantha was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The symptoms were immediate. Samantha neglected all of her usual responsibilities. Once described as a “student government activist” by one of her classmates, Samantha began to lose interest in her passions. Her social life was limited to family and especially close friends only.
In only two weeks, Samantha lost most of her grip on her surroundings. She recognized only her mother and father, and had to be reminded how to perform the daily rituals that were once second nature. Samantha stopped attending her public school and in 2010 Samantha’s family relocated from Arkansas to Long Island to find a more suitable school for Samantha.
Today is Samantha’s third day at her new school and, like the last two days, Samantha lay on a safety mat desperately squirming to escape from, what she believes is, someone trying to hurt her. The principal, assistant principal and I are sprawled across the floor in anguish attempting to calm Samantha down.
(I have worked on the support team for the Nassau Education and Treatment program (NET) at the Center for Community Adjustment for three years. The NET program is a specialized program for a wide range of psychiatric students aged 14 to 21. As part of the support team my duties include intervening in all student crises. These crises range from monotonous redirection of traffic between periods to grueling bouts of physical restraint.)
Today, during an introductory game with a counseling group, Samantha says she heard a student yell racist slurs at her. When the student denied the remarks, Samantha grew paranoid and became violent; tossing anything she could get her hands on.
Hallucinations are a common symptom of schizophrenia, and Samantha suffers from debilitating episodes of confusion. During these fits Samantha becomes hostile towards her surroundings and must be separated from the population of the school for her own and others’ safety.
For two hours, from her counseling session episode until her bus was called for dismissal, Samantha fought with the same determination she once was able to direct into productive channels. Her one-time passion for significant, productive social issues have now degraded into constant battles against invisible struggles that only she can see and feel.
Tomorrow I will introduce myself to Samantha again, and hope that in the coming months she will be able to restructure her social routine. Samantha’s interactions with others have proven too abstract to showcase her connections to her surroundings. Her parents are hopeful and determined; inspired by the drive Samantha has shown, to provide their daughter with the support she needs to find a balance in her new life.