Layla Nicholson, a freelance journalist, opens up about the persistent and infuriating question she has faced throughout her life: 'Aren't you worried that you're going to turn out mad like your dad?' She recalls a recent encounter where, after revealing her father's schizophrenia diagnosis over drinks, a new friend asked her this very question, leaving her deeply uncomfortable.
Nicholson's father was sectioned every year from 2010 to 2024. She never lived with him, as her parents separated at her birth, but she was acutely aware of his 'difference' from a young age. At five, her mother explained that her father had schizophrenia, which helped her understand his seemingly strange behaviours, such as taping over camera lenses or believing they were being followed.
The Burden of Stigma from Childhood
From an early age, Nicholson felt the weight of stigma. Friends' parents and even family members would remark that it was 'a shame that he was like that.' She learned to avoid conversations about him. One particularly distressing memory is from a Sports Day when she was about six: her father arrived unkempt and unannounced, causing her to cry in fear that he would do something 'strange' and attract negative attention.
At around eight years old, a nosy mother at a friend's house asked when she had last seen her father. Nicholson replied 'I can't remember,' hoping to end the conversation. She worried that people not only thought her father was 'bonkers' but also presumed she would turn out the same way.
Teenage Years: The Question Emerges
In secondary school, Nicholson kept her father's condition secret. When she began confiding in trusted friends in her mid-teens, the information inevitably spread. One student called her 'the girl with the schizo dad.' Even friends made insensitive comments, such as 'He's a bit nutty like you then, Lay,' to which she would respond with a forced laugh and a joke: 'Like father, like daughter.'
When Nicholson was 18, her older sister moved to the US, and she became her father's next of kin and carer. Her days were filled with communicating with care teams, monitoring his stability, and accompanying him to appointments. This role lasted eight years, during which her father was in and out of hospital every year. The secrecy around his illness ended, and she focused on his care rather than worrying about others' opinions.
Deeper Stigma and Dehumanising Comments
Despite her dedication, the stigma persisted. In a bar smoking area, a man laughed and asked if she had 'daddy issues' after she opened up about her father. Another man asked if she was 'crazy too.' A family member warned her not to 'end up like your dad' when she felt low about his hospitalisation. These comments, she says, dehumanised her father and ignored the severity of his illness.
Nicholson admits that the possibility of inheriting schizophrenia sometimes led her to anxiously check NHS symptoms pages. She had to remind herself that she is not an extension of her father's illness. According to Rethink Mental Illness, 88% of people with severe mental illness experience widespread stigma and discrimination, and 94% feel they are treated differently because of their condition.
A Change in Response: Cancer Diagnosis
When her father was diagnosed with cancer in 2025, the questions shifted. Friends and family began asking, 'How is Dad doing?' and 'What care is he receiving?' Notably, no one asked if she feared inheriting cancer. Her father died in September 2025, and the subsequent outpouring of love and compassion was something she had rarely experienced regarding him. She reflects on the stark contrast: why was she interrogated about inheriting schizophrenia but not cancer?
Moving Forward: Breaking the Stigma
Nicholson concludes that while she cannot single-handedly change the stigma, she can share her story to foster understanding. She asserts, 'I'm not 'mad by proxy'; nor was my dad 'mad' at all. He was just, at times, unwell – and that doesn't mean I am or will be.' Her father carried the stigma of his condition for most of his life, and she will carry it for all of hers until people have a better grasp of mental illness, not just mental health.
