EastEnders viewers will see Isaac suffer with his mental health in the coming weeks as he stops his medication for schizophrenia.
In the latest scenes, Isaac shared his diagnosis with his dad Patrick (Rudolph Walker), and is dealing with his mum Sheree’s (Suzette Lewellyn) resistance as she was desperate to keep his schizophrenia secret from friends and family.
And Isaac’s mental health begins to decline after learning of his brother’s death and fears over Patrick taking part in a medical trial.
He starts to wonder about his own diagnosis and decides to quit his medication which leads to a decline in his mental health.
Isaac (Stevie Basaula) is then forced to deal with stigmatising views from friends and family and how he manages his mental health on a daily basis as he begins to experience symptoms.
The East End soap has been working with leading mental health charity Mind on Isaac’s continuing storyline in the build up to Mental Health Awareness Week.
Speaking about the storyline, actor Stevie Basaula said: "This is close to my heart, to be telling Isaac’s story is a privilege.
"I hope it will start a dialogue for people to have conversations about mental health and that anyone living with the condition will feel seen.
"I hope that anyone engaging with Isaac’s story will gain a better understanding and can approach someone they know that may be struggling from a more positive place."
EastEnders executive producer Jon Sen added: "There’s a multitude of layers to this storyline and Mind’s expertise has been crucial as we explore Isaac’s experience.
"As his condition escalates, we’ll see how this affects him and his loved ones in the coming months and I’m looking forward to audiences following Isaac’s undoubtedly difficult yet eye-opening journey ahead with fantastic actors in Stevie, Suzette, Rudolph and Danielle at the helm."
* If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email info@mind.org.uk
