new member

Is this illness life-long, and if so what are long term effects?

[ILADVOCATE]

As for schizophrenia, as a person with schizoaffective disorder, I just say I have a psychiatric disability. Everyone thinks in their own way but I prefer to think of it as a disability I live with rather than being ill or sick. As for schizophrenia, on its own it will not go away. A person needs anti-psychotics. Psychiatry has shown that with treatment that as time goes on sometimes some of the symptoms of schizophrenia go into remmission but a person needs to be in treatment for life. But the level of psychosis experience during a "first break" will be less as a person reaches middle age. But that's the natural course of schizophrenia. I'd say current anti-psychotics mitigate symptoms. They are not a "cure". But they strongly help a person be a part of society and live in the real world and function. But it is important to understand that there are anti-psychotics in development that promote a fuller recovery. I can personally state that on glycine, a glutamate antagonist that is Phase II FDA study I have obtained a full recovery and that its being documented in a psychiatric journal. That's still a compound and they are developing more effective medications that affect the same receptors. But do understand if you haven't started medication, the recovery you make will be acceptable but the recovery rate of the next generation of anti-psychotics will be even stronger. And as new treatments are approved all the time, here's a link you can bookmark that updates itself:
http://www.psychmeds123.info/

[drifter0213]

THANK YOU FOR THE REPLY, I ALSO HAVE PTSD (SERVICE-RELATED) AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. I AM CURRENTLY TAKING MEDS FOR THE ILLNESSES I HAVE AND FEEL GREAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT I STILL NEED TO TAKE MEDS AND ATTEND GROUP THERAPY. - SCOTT