Seyat’s older brother was first diagnosed with the mental illness – which can cause sufferers to experience episodes of psychosis involving delusions and hallucinations – when he was just 13 years old. “Slowly he started to get sick,” the 19-year-old shares.
Now 22, Seyat’s brother’s condition is treated with medication. “He just chills at home and does nothing,” explains the reality star.
Seyat’s partner Jess – who was offered $10,000 by Seyat’s mother Fatima to leave her son, and branded as “dirty” and accused of “dressing like a prostitute” by her future mother-in-law – has met Seyat’s brother and gets on well with him.
She explains he’s nothing like the often scary stereotypes of schizophrenia sufferers.
“I was never frightened. I think he’s the most genuine person and I just think he’s really sweet,” says Jess, 21.
“I always tried to make an effort to have a conversation with him.”
Despite the way she’s been treated by Fatima – who insists she will never accept Jess marrying Seyat and has even said there’s “nothing good” about her son’s choice of future wife – Jess has sympathy for what the family have been through. She also explains how important it is to normalise mental health issues.
“I thought it was really sad and I felt sorry for Seyat and his mum and his family, but I didn’t treat anybody any differently because of that,” she explains.
“You don’t want to make someone feel worse about something they can’t control.”
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