My son has been living with schizoaffective disorder for 4 years now. This disease took a lot from him in the beginning, and continues to make everyday life difficult, but I am so proud of how he has learned to cope with his symptoms and has developed ways to mitigate triggers and other stressors that can cause his symptoms to worsen. Our family felt very alone at first, as did my son, and I think that part of starting the journey of living in this “new normal” is to realize that you aren’t alone and there are other people who can relate to parts of your journey.

My hope is for continued research into treatments with a novel mechanism of action, for more societal awareness and understanding of schizophrenia and related conditions and for more education for physicians and other healthcare professionals around resources for patients experiencing first-episode psychosis. We also need to advocate for more mental health resources and equal access to services despite where you live. No one should have to live in a mental health treatment desert. Our loved ones all deserve access to the best care possible.