Amanda Marton, a Chilean-Brazilian journalist, narrates in her book ‘I Didn’t Want to Be Like You’ the experience of living with a mother diagnosed with schizophrenia. Through a combination of her personal story and a deep analysis, she aims to challenge the prejudices and stigmas surrounding this mental illness.
Amanda lives in Chile with her mother Cecilia and has gone through a series of challenges that shaped her life from an early age. When she was only four years old, her mother received the diagnosis that would mark the beginning of an emotional distance between them, but also a journey of reconnection and learning that Amanda decided to share through her book.
At 31 years old, after going through family crises, moments of farewell, but also episodes of deep connection, the journalist offers an intimate and honest perspective on what it is like to grow up with a relative suffering from this mental illness.
Amanda feared inheriting her mother’s schizophrenia
In the 244 pages of ‘I Didn’t Want to Be Like You’, she recounts how, in her youth, she feared inheriting her mother’s schizophrenia.
“At one point, I thought the worst thing that could happen was to inherit her schizophrenia,” she confessed in one of the early pages of the book.
However, throughout her research and by delving into both her family history and the nature of schizophrenia itself, she was able to set aside those fears. Instead, she began to focus on the person behind the diagnosis, her mother, who has not only lived with schizophrenia but has been a constant source of love, sweetness, and teachings.
One of the major lessons Amanda highlights in her work is the importance of recognizing that people with schizophrenia are not defined solely by their illness.
“When I interviewed several people with schizophrenia, many of them told me that upon receiving the diagnosis, they felt they lost their identity, that they automatically became ‘people with schizophrenia.’ They forgot that they are mothers, fathers, children, individuals with stories and dreams,” Amanda reflected in her book.
Her mother has given her the most valuable things in life
The title of the book ‘I Didn’t Want to Be Like You’ arises from Amanda’s initial fear of resembling her mother in the sense of inheriting her schizophrenia. However, as she progresses through her story, she discovers that her mother has given her profoundly valuable life lessons, such as the ability to be grateful in everyday life, even amid the darkest challenges.
“My mother has a sweetness and a capacity for resilience that I deeply admire. Today, I realize that if I resemble her in any way, it is in that ability to keep moving forward, and that is something I value greatly,” Amanda commented to Noticias Caracol live.
Throughout her research, she interviewed mental health specialists and delved into the scientific literature on schizophrenia.
“There is so much ignorance, so many myths surrounding schizophrenia. Sometimes the fear and stereotypes that society has about people with this illness are more harmful than the condition itself,” the author emphasized.
Schizophrenia also affects the entire environment
A key aspect she highlights is how schizophrenia not only affects the diagnosed person but also their entire environment. Families often bear a significant emotional and practical burden, and the lack of support or social understanding only exacerbates the situation.
Amanda calls on society to break the silence and talk more openly about schizophrenia and other mental illnesses so that the topic ceases to be a taboo.
“When we don’t talk about something, we turn it into a taboo, and taboos hinder our ability to generate support networks, to improve the situations of those going through this, and to adequately accompany those diagnosed,” Amanda emphasizes.
The author also recounts in her book some of the most difficult episodes she lived through with her mother during the crises associated with the illness. These moments, although painful, served as catalysts for emotional reconciliation between the two.
“I apologized to my mother on several occasions. It is not always easy, but she has been my greatest support in this process of writing the book. It is our story, and it is her bravery that allowed me to tell it,” she revealed.
The book is not limited to just being the account of Amanda and her mother, but also gives voice to many other people living with schizophrenia. Through interviews, Amanda includes testimonies from diagnosed individuals who speak of their fears and challenges.
“It’s curious that many people with schizophrenia told me they felt fear, while society also expresses fear towards them. In the end, we all have fear, and it is precisely that lack of communication that perpetuates the problem,” Amanda reflects.
With ‘I Didn’t Want to Be Like You’, the journalist offers readers an opportunity to better understand a condition that continues to be misunderstood.