The symptoms and functioning in some persons with schizophrenia will worsen over time, and many will remain stable. Some, however, will improve.
If left untreated, schizophrenia can worsen at any age, especially if you continue to experience episodes and symptoms. Typically, early onset schizophrenia in the late teens tends to be associated more with severe symptoms than later-life onset.
Of the different types of schizophrenia, residual schizophrenia is the mildest, characterized by specific residual schizophrenia symptoms.
If you, or someone you know, are described as having “borderline schizophrenia”, it could point toward mild symptoms, unclear symptoms, or a combination of symptoms. The best thing you can do is to seek clarification from a licensed professional.
Most people with schizophrenia make a recovery, although many will experience the occasional return of symptoms (relapses). Support and treatment can help you to manage your condition and the impact it has on your life.
While it was once thought to be a disease that only worsened over time, schizophrenia is now known to be manageable thanks to modern treatment practices. With a dedication to ongoing treatment, often beginning with intensive residential care, most individuals can live normal or almost-normal lives.
Unfortunately, most people with schizophrenia are unaware that their symptoms are warning signs of a mental disorder. Their lives may be unraveling, yet they may believe that their experiences are normal. Or they may feel that they're blessed or cursed with special insights that others can't see.
Simple schizophrenia
Negative symptoms (such as slow movement, poor memory, lack of concentration and poor hygiene) are most prominent early and worsen, while positive symptoms (such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganised thinking) are rarely experienced.
Schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment, even when symptoms have subsided. Treatment with medications and psychosocial therapy can help manage the condition. In some cases, hospitalization may be needed. A psychiatrist experienced in treating schizophrenia usually guides treatment.
Borderline schizophrenia is held to be a valid entity that should be included in the DSM-III. It is a chronic illness that may be associated with many other symptoms but is best characterized by perceptual-cognitive abnormalities. It has a familial distribution and a genetic relationship with schizophrenia.
The exact causes of schizophrenia are unknown. Research suggests a combination of physical, genetic, psychological and environmental factors can make a person more likely to develop the condition. Some people may be prone to schizophrenia, and a stressful or emotional life event might trigger a psychotic episode.
Nevertheless, research has shown that with proper treatment, many people with schizophrenia can experience significant, albeit rarely complete, recovery from their illness. Many can, for example, live relatively normal lives outside a hospital, holding down a job and socializing periodically with family and friends.
The age of onset in men and women
In general, schizophrenia is diagnosed in late adolescence through the early 30s. Men are usually diagnosed between the late teens and early 20s, with a peak at 21-25 years of age. Women are diagnosed a few years later, at 25-30 or again after menopause.
Although studies on volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis in schizophrenia have shown relatively consistent results over several decades (7), diagnosing schizophrenia based on these findings is still challenging and has little clinical utility.
Left untreated, schizophrenia can result in severe problems that affect every area of life. Complications that schizophrenia may cause or be associated with include: Suicide, suicide attempts and thoughts of suicide.
People with schizophrenia experience difficulties in remembering their past and envisioning their future. However, while alterations of event representation are well documented, little is known about how personal events are located and ordered in time.
Case Study Illustrates How Schizophrenia Can Often Be Overdiagnosed. Making a diagnosis of schizophrenia requires careful evaluation because the disorder involves much more than what patients perceive as hallucinations.
Psychotic disorders include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, shared psychotic disorder, substance-induced psychotic disorder, and paraphrenia.
While there is no one blood test to detect schizophrenia, regular blood testing can provide important information about a person's schizophrenia treatment and overall well-being.
At least one of the symptoms must be delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech. In determining a diagnosis, the doctor may order additional tests, including an MRI scan or blood test.
Personality disorders such as antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic, avoidant, dependent and obsessive-compulsive types have been detected in one third to one half of schizophrenia patients (Nielsen, Hewitt & Habke, 1997; Solano & Chavez, 2000).
Driving with Schizophrenia
A letter from the treating doctor may be required stating the person is capable of driving safely. An additional challenge is that a physician's-office-based assessment of a person's driving skills correlates only minimally with scores on standardized road tests.
Schizophrenia affects the way you think and cope with daily life. Someone living with schizophrenia may experience hallucinations, delusions, disorganised thinking and lack motivation for daily activities.