We Can Talk About Depression And Anxiety, But Why Not Schizophrenia?

Journalist Elfy Scott grew up in a household where her mother’s schizophrenia was rarely spoken about.  

For many years, this complex mental health condition was treated as an open secret until a school counsellor told Scott about her mother’s condition when she was 14. 

Her book ‘The One Thing We’ve Never Spoken About’ explores why schizophrenia is still such a taboo topic. 

Scott and her family are not alone in the battle of complex mental health diseases. There are one in 100 Australians who are suffering from schizophrenia.   

I knew the word obviously, and I had some vague understanding of what it meant, something dark, untouchable, and scary. But I had no real understanding of what it was or any technical definitions around it,”

she said.

She (mum) would say things like people are trying to break into the house. She thought there would be people trying to come and get here,”

Scott explained her mother’s symptoms.

On today’s Briefing, we talk to Scott about her personal experience with schizophrenia and why complex conditions like this have been left behind, while more common conditions like anxiety and depression are now more widely spoken about. 

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