What can I expect if I have this condition?
Schizophrenia is a condition that varies greatly from person to person. You may struggle with work, relationships and self-care. But with treatment, you may be able to work, care for yourself and have fulfilling relationships.
This condition also often affects people in cycles. That means you can go through periods when the condition flares up and your symptoms get much worse. Then, you may have a time when your symptoms improve but don’t completely go away.
Despite how serious this condition is, treatment does make it possible to live with the condition and minimize how it affects your life.
What’s the outlook for this condition?
Schizophrenia itself isn’t a deadly condition. But its effects can lead to dangerous or harmful behaviors. About one-third of people with schizophrenia have symptoms that worsen over time. That can happen because your symptoms don’t respond to treatment, or you have trouble following treatment plans closely enough to manage the condition. About 10% of people with schizophrenia die by suicide.
Other people respond to treatment. But they still have periods where symptoms return and worsen. They might also have lingering problems, like trouble focusing or thinking, because of earlier episodes of this condition.
