He's Still My Dad - What Schizophrenia Changed, and What It Didn't.

He's Still My Dad - What Schizophrenia Changed, and What It Didn't.

From Disability and Faith by Christine Boyle

February 19, 2026 · 1h 6m · Season 1 · Episode 35

About this episode

Christine Boyle shares her personal journey as a caregiver for her father with schizophrenia, addressing stigma and the need for open conversations about mental health in the Church.

The heart of this episode is deeply personal. I share my story as a daughter and caregiver to my dad, who has lived with schizophrenia for nearly 43 years. I was raised in a culture of stigma and secrecy around mental illness. We didn’t talk about it. We survived it quietly. And yet — he was still my dad. At 18 years old, I became his primary caregiver. In 2007, when his condition worsened significantly, I had to step into even more responsibility. I navigated difficult decisions. I talk honestly about broken systems. Limited resources. The lack of safety nets for people like my dad. I share what schizophrenia has looked like up close — the delusions, the crises, the emotional toll. And I speak candidly about the pain of being treated like the enemy during episodes, even when you’re the one holding everything together. This episode is about breaking the silence. It’s about naming the stigma. It’s about helping the Church understand that severe mental illness exists inside faithful families. I challenge churches and leaders to talk openly about mental health, to partner with organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) , and to create environments where…

People in this episode

Host: Christine Boyle

Topics covered

  • mental health
  • schizophrenia
  • caregiving
  • stigma
  • faith
  • church involvement

Keywords

  • schizophrenia
  • caregiver
  • mental illness
  • stigma
  • faith
  • counseling
  • NAMI

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