Taye Diggs Opens Up About Sister's Schizophrenia Diagnosis, Says He Was 'Embarrassed' By His Misconceptions Of The Disorder
Taye Diggs recently shared that his 48-year-old sister, Christian Diggs, has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
During an interview with PEOPLE, Diggs, 53, discussed the launch of the "Live Your PosSCZible" campaign and, for the first time, opened up about his sister being diagnosed with schizophrenia in her late 20s. He shared how this diagnosis has affected both of their lives.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder affecting 2.4 million adults in the United States, causes individuals to perceive reality in a distorted manner. It is characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and highly disordered thinking and behavior, which severely impair daily functioning and can be disabling.
"As you can imagine, we were all very surprised and scared and curious," Diggs shared with the outlet about his younger sister's diagnosis. "I didn't know anything about it. Like most people, the only reference I had was what was portrayed on television and a whole bunch of stereotypes."
"My sister's very, very smart, and she loves to use her brain. And when she was diagnosed, she told me it was like the part of her brain that she enjoyed the most wasn't her own anymore," Diggs clarified. "And that's what was very frustrating for her."
'The Best Man' actor initially wanted to actively care for his sister Christian when she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, he realized that the most valuable support he could offer was to step back and provide patience and encouragement as she navigated through her treatment journey.
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Though he felt limited in his ability to help, Christian later expressed that his support meant a great deal to her, reassuring Taye of the importance of his role.
"I'm almost embarrassed to admit what I thought of her when we first heard this news, but she's such an inspiration," the New Jersey native said. "People just need support. They need a team around them that knows what they're doing, and they can literally achieve whatever they want. And I didn't realize this at the time."
