It was nostalgia with a message.

Jay Semko of the Northern Pikes returned to his former high school Evan Hardy Collegiate to perform and tell students about his life-long journey with bi-polar disorder.

The group’s singer and bassist says many years of intermittent self-medication with drugs and alcohol started as a young boy being allowed to take medication whenever he felt he needed relief from severe allergies on the family farm.

It continued on a more illicit path while in high school as he also started to develop as a musician.

Semko described the extreme highs and lows being replaced by intoxication noting he has had relapses even after realizing before graduating from high school he needed to stop.

There was counseling, a hospital stay and two treatment programs. Semko says it was after a 2006 stint in treatment that he learned more about his condition which was the beginning of a breakthrough.

Semko described himself as loner but points out simply talking to someone about how you’re feeling brings a sense of considerable relief and stressed to students who feel they may be having mental health issues they need to seek help.

The highly respected musician says talking to people on the bus have made big differences in his day, week and sometimes months.

His presentation was in conjunction with the Schizophrenia Society of Saskatchewan’s Partnership Program. Semko has made several such appearances.

Partnership Program Coordinator Curtis Harman says it was important for students to hear this message from a graduate who has achieved success despite personal adversity.

Harman feels it was important of get the message to the Evan Hardy students before they leave for the Christmas break.

{DW Dec 11/19}