This week on the podcast, Kody and Kit are joined by Maye Jepson! Maye is the mother to a son living with schizoaffective disorder, and has a lot to say about the experience of being not a caregiver, but something she calld a “trust partner”. And she dives into just what that means in this episode. Maye has a lot of insight into what it’s like caring for someone with a severe mental illness, good and bad, so join Kody and Kit AND Maye as they all talk about it!Follow Maye!Instagram: mayejepsonFollow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: we are Schiz and Giggles on both platformsYouTube is @schizandgiggles for the video version of the podcastWe are on Instagram and TikTok at the same handleEmail: [email protected] Kody!YouTube: @schizophrenichippieTikTok, Instagram, Facebook: schizophrenichippieFollow Kit!YouTube: @schizokitzoInstagram, TikTok, Facebook: schizokitzo#schizophrenia #schizoaffective #mentalhealthdisorders #mentalhealth #mentalhealthadvocate #podcast #caregiver

Psychiatric medications bring a whole host of worries and fears, with a big one being… do they change who you are? This week on the podcast, Kody and Kit talk about how their psychiatric medications make them feel and whether they are changed because of their medications. It’s a deep dive, and hopefully it will let you know that, in the end, there is nothing to be afraid of!Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: we are Schiz and Giggles on both platformsYouTube is @schizandgiggles for the video version of the podcastWe are on Instagram and TikTok at the same handleEmail: [email protected] Kody!YouTube: @schizophrenichippieTikTok, Instagram, Facebook: schizophrenichippieFollow Kit!YouTube: @schizokitzoInstagram, TikTok, Facebook: schizokitzo#schizophrenia #schizoaffective #psychiatricmedications #mentalhealth #mentalhealthadvocate #podcast

This week on the podcast, Kody and Kit are joined by Kaelynn Partlow: a prominent autism advocate and writer! She’s the author of Life on the Bridge —out now wherever you buy books!— and she is known for appearing in season one of Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum. Kaelynn is a phenomenal advocate, educating millions, and we are so excited to have her on the show this week!Enjoy the episode, and let us know what you think!Follow Kaelynn!Instagram: kaelynnvpOther Links to buy her book and more: https://linktr.ee/kaelynn_vpFollow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: we are Schiz and Giggles on both platformsYouTube is @schizandgiggles for the video version of the podcastWe are on Instagram and TikTok at the same handleEmail: [email protected] Kody!YouTube: @schizophrenichippieTikTok, Instagram, Facebook: schizophrenichippieFollow Kit!YouTube: @schizokitzoInstagram, TikTok, Facebook: schizokitzo#schizophrenia #schizoaffective #mentalhealthdisorders #autism #mentalhealthadvocate #podcast

Pets are a major source of comfort for many, but did you know they can help those with severe mental illness too? Including schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder? And in more ways than one? This week on the podcast Kody and Kit talk about their pets… and feature some furry friends as well. Both hosts benefit from having pets, and we hope you enjoy this exploration of what it means to have a pet as someone with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder.Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: we are Schiz and Giggles on both platformsYouTube is @schizandgiggles for the video version of the podcastWe are on Instagram and TikTok at the same handleEmail: [email protected] Kody!YouTube: @schizophrenichippieTikTok, Instagram, Facebook: schizophrenichippieFollow Kit!YouTube: @schizokitzoInstagram, TikTok, Facebook: schizokitzoKit’s Guinea Pig Instagram: @tatertotpiggies #schizophrenia #schizoaffective #mentalhealthdisorders #mentalhealth #mentalhealthadvocate #podcast #pets

In the last few years, using the ketogenic way of eating as a metabolic therapy to treat mental health conditions like schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder has become more common. However, recent events have caused keto to be at the forefront, more so than in the past. So, this week on the podcast, Kody and Kit tackled keto and current events. They talk science, opinion, and what we know when it comes to this stuff.Enjoy and maybe… tell us what you think :)Sources and other studies of interest:Danan, A., Westman, E. C., Saslow, L. R., & Ede, G. (2022). The Ketogenic Diet for Refractory Mental Illness: A Retrospective Analysis of 31 Inpatients. Frontiers in psychiatry, 13, 951376.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.95...Needham, N., Campbell, I. H., Grossi, H., Kamenska, I., Rigby, B. P., Simpson, S. A., McIntosh, E., Bahuguna, P., Meadowcroft, B., Creasy, F., Mitchell-Grigorjeva, M., Norrie, J., Thompson, G., Gibbs, M. C., McLellan, A., Fisher, C., Moses, T., Burgess, K., Brown, R., Thrippleton, M. J., … Smith, D. J. (2023). Pilot study of a ketogenic diet in bipolar disorder. BJPsych open, 9(6), e176.https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2023.568Palmer, C. M. (2022). Brain energy: A revolutionary breakthrough in understanding mental health--and improving treatment for anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and more. BenBella Books, Inc.Sethi, S., Wakeham, D., Ketter, T., Hooshmand, F., Bjornstad, J., Richards, B., Westman, E., Krauss, R. M., & Saslow, L. (2024). Ketogenic Diet Intervention on Metabolic and Psychiatric Health in Bipolar and Schizophrenia: A Pilot Trial. Psychiatry research, 335, 115866.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.20...Tillery, E. E., Ellis, K. D., Threatt, T. B., Reyes, H. A., Plummer, C. S., & Barney, L. R. (2021). The use of the ketogenic diet in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. The mental health clinician, 11(3), 211–219.https://doi.org/10.9740/mhc.2021.05.211ALL Current Keto Clinical Trials Related to Mental Health Conditions:https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?con...A review of Brain Energy that points out a lot of its shortcomings:https://www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/d...Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: we are Schiz and Giggles on both platformsYouTube is @schizandgiggles for the video version of the podcastWe are on Instagram and TikTok at the same handleEmail: [email protected] Kody!YouTube: @schizophrenichippieTikTok, Instagram, Facebook: schizophrenichippieFollow Kit!YouTube: @schizokitzoInstagram, TikTok, Facebook: schizokitzo#schizophrenia #schizoaffective #mentalhealthdisorders #mentalhealth #mentalhealthadvocate #keto

After a several week break, we are BACK! This week on the Schiz & Giggles podcast Kody and Kit are joined by Michelle Hammer! Michelle lives with schizophrenia and runs Schizophrenic.NYC, a clothing and lifestyle brand that was established ten years ago! Michelle has a lot to say about what it’s like being an advocate on the streets of New York City, so enjoy the episode and let us know what you think!Follow Michelle!Instagram: @schizophrenic.nycYouTube: @SchizophrenicNYCTikTok: @Schizophrenic.NYCBuy her clothing and other items at https://www.schizophrenic.nycFollow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: we are Schiz and Giggles on both platformsYouTube is @schizandgiggles for the video version of the podcastWe are on Instagram and TikTok at the same handleEmail: [email protected] Kody!YouTube: @schizophrenichippieTikTok, Instagram, Facebook: schizophrenichippieFollow Kit!YouTube: @schizokitzoInstagram, TikTok, Facebook: schizokitzo#schizophrenia #schizoaffective #mentalhealthdisorders #mentalhealth #mentalhealthadvocate #podcast

Medication and therapy are mainstay for mental health conditions, especially for those on the schizophrenia spectrum. But did you know there are other treatment options out there? This week on the podcast, Kody and Kit address just that. They talk about specialized therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, but also touch on one more: EMDR.It’s a fun episode. Enjoy it and let us know what you think!Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: we are Schiz and Giggles on both platformsYouTube is @schizandgiggles for the video version of the podcastWe are on Instagram and TikTok at the same handleEmail: [email protected] Kody!YouTube: @schizophrenichippieTikTok, Instagram, Facebook: schizophrenichippieFollow Kit!YouTube: @schizokitzoInstagram, TikTok, Facebook: schizokitzo#schizophrenia #schizoaffective #mentalhealthdisorders #mentalhealth #mentalhealthadvocate #podcast #cbt #dbt #emdr

This week on the podcast, Kody and Kit are joined by Gabe Howard, a prominent mental health advocate who lives with bipolar disorder. Gabe has been advocating for over a decade, and has seen the many phases of advocacy over the years: how it started, how it went, and where it is today. Kody and Kit ask Gabe all sorts of questions, so as always, enjoy the episode and let us know what you think!Follow Gabe!Instagram: askabipolarWebsite (to order books and get more info): gabehoward.comFollow the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: we are Schiz and Giggles on both platformsYouTube is @schizandgiggles for the video version of the podcastWe are on Instagram and TikTok at the same handleEmail: [email protected] Kody!YouTube: @schizophrenichippieTikTok, Instagram, Facebook: schizophrenichippieFollow Kit!YouTube: @schizokitzoInstagram, TikTok, Facebook: schizokitzo#schizophrenia #schizoaffective #mentalhealthdisorders #mentalhealth #mentalhealthadvocate #podcast #bipolar

Many people know that psychotic episodes exist, but how about the fact that they have not one, not two, but three phases to them? This week on the podcast, Kody and Kit talk about the different phases of their psychotic breaks; how it started, how it went, and how it ended. With the idea to educate others about how psychosis is far more dynamic than people often think it is.Kody lives with schizophrenia and Kit lives with schizoaffective disorder and both hosts have a lot to say.YouTube is @schizandgiggles for the video version of the podcastWe are on Instagram and TikTok at the same handle

It wouldn’t be too far off to say that when someone has a severe mental illness—like schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder—there’s usually something else going on along with it. So, this week, Kody and Kit tackle their comorbidities. Kody talks about his experience with ADHD as someone who is also living with schizophrenia, and Kit tackles explaining her OCD as someone who deals with schizoaffective disorder. Both hosts have challenges and comorbidities can be wild, so we hope you enjoy the episode.YouTube is @schizandgiggles for the video version of the podcastWe are on Instagram and TikTok at the same handleEmail: [email protected]