Helping remove the stigma of schizophrenia

Those curious as to what precisely sets podcasts apart from all other forms of entertainment or journalistic pursuits ought to strap on some headphones and listen to Sickboy. As a show dedicated to exploring the lives of those directly affected by a chronic illness, Sickboy is something of a rarity, in life as much as in pop culture. What helps make the show feel so fresh is in how it approaches the subject. Topics aren’t handled with kid gloves from some sanitized remove, but in a direct and relatable, human manner. Show hosts Taylor MacGillivary, Jeremie Saunders, and Brian Stever are best friends, meaning they have a rollicking rapport with as strong a propensity toward off-color humor as empathy. On this week’s episode, the boys host the pseudonymous CC, whose mother has had schizophrenia since CC was 5 years old, and for whom CC now acts as caretaker. The conversation is extremely engaging, covering the spectrum of CC’s experiences with her mother’s illness in candid, emotional, and frequently hilarious fashion. The episode also does much to help remove the stigma of this particularly misunderstood mental illness, as well as exploring the necessary, healthy coping strategies of those in the caretaker