schizophrenia?

Question

Does anyone know someone diagnosed with schizophrenia who was eventually cured? Are these people able to function in the outside world or end up spending most of their lives in mental hospitals? Thanks for any replies.

Answer 1

I don't believe there is a cure.

I do think that some of these people can lead somewhat normal lives with proper care (meds & psychotherapy).

Answer 2

There is no cure for schizophrenia but there is treatment. With treatment most schizophrenics will live a life that is close to normal. They usually don't need inpatient treatment. There are many different types of the illness...

Paranoid schizophrenia is the worst kind and it could lead to someone needing inpatient treatment if medications do not help.

Catatonic schizophrenia is very rare and it involves someone taking on very rigid postures, weird looking facial expression, keeping the body extremely still while holding these rigid postures, they can also resist being moved.

Disorganized schizophrenia is where the speech and behavior is very unorganized. They may say a sentence something like this "Car go blue at house cat be food door" See none of that makes any sense to us but it does to this person who is saying it. They also may start laughing out of the blue for no reason at all.

Like I said, it can be treated and when the treatment is successful then they may lead a very normal life but if there is no treatment then they could become an inpatient.

Answer 3

I do. Of course you have to define "cured". Is it a "cure" if the person has to continue taking medicine the rest of his life? Or does "cure" mean they are normal without the need for any medicine. I know a man who is as normal as anyone else but he continues to take medicine. He was schizophrenic for quite a long time and at the time he wanted to kill his parents. Now he has a normally good relationship with them. A lady I met was in the hospital for months because of schizophrenia and now she leads a normal life with a good job and friends, her schizophrenia was many years ago now. The question here is, Would she have gotten better anyway even without being in the hospital all those months. I knew an older lady, since deceased, who led a normal life and marriage, except she suffered from anxiety which was helped with medicine, but she took none of the medicines used to treat schizophrenia. She kept to herself a delusion she had about her parish priest. She had a number of hospitalizations long before she died, but then none for maybe forty years. Is that a "cure"? Especially when there are many "normal" people walking around who have what I would consider unrealistic beliefs. There's another word which has to be defined, "normal", before you can talk about "cure" if that word is defined as 'returned to normal'.

Answer 4

Schizophrenia is like all mental illnesses, unlikely to ever find a cure. Though there are treatments and support that allow people to cope and live their lives to the best of their abilities.

I have a very close friend who has a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia.

He doesn't live in a mental hospital, he has his own home.

He drives a car.

He does voluntary work.

He also has paid employment.

He uses his illness to educate others - give talks to the police, nurses, students, and other professional people.

He readily tells people what his diagnosis is - he is not ashamed.

I admire him - he copes better with his illness than I do with my own.

I love him - he is a great friend.

I would do anything for him - and he for me.

Yes, he still has to cope with the symptoms of his illness, he knows he will always need to take medication.........

but he does not let this ruin his life.

He has friends, he has hobbies, he enjoys life to the full.

As with any of us, at times his illness makes him more poorly that at others, but he knows and recognises the signs and he gets help and support as soon as he needs it.

Not all people who suffer from an enduring mental illness need to be shut away forever, they are not dangerous animals who deserve to be punished for being ill.

It is possible to live with schizophrenia and live in the community, be a productive part of it and contribute to make the world a better place.

I wish I had half the courage that my friend does, and was as open and honest about my illness.

For good information visit the Mind website:

http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+schizophrenia.htm

http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/How+to/How+to+cope+as+a+carer.htm

http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+paranoia.htm

I would also suggest finding out if there is a local Mind near to where you are, they are easy to access and informal. Use this link to see where the nearest is

http://www.mind.org.uk/Mind+in+your+area/

If I hadn't discovered my local Mind, I wouldn't have received great support and help when I've needed it, and also I would never have met the friend that I talk about above.

For both those reasons I am eternally grateful and now extremely priveleged to work for them.

Answer 5

As a healthcare provider I can tell you that this is not an illness that we are able to cure at this point. If medications are taken as prescribed and regular doctor's appointments are kept, people with this illness can live an average, everyday life. It also depends on the severity of the illness...alot of times determined by the illness to begin with and also how long (or how many times) it went untreated. Additionally, due to the way the mental healthcare system has been cut....few to none ever spend their lives in a mental hospital. Unfortunately, alot of the ones who need the kind of help are now out on the streets, living hand to mouth without medications and homes.

Answer 6

Though there is no cure, with medication and treatments, studies have shown around a quarter (25%) have been symptom free and were able to resume normal living. Not to say that the other 75% are hopeless, but they have had varying degrees of success. I don't like to put hard numbers - it really depends on your treatment, your social support and the environment you are in. That's more important than numbers.
Also, it is evident from studies that those with abrupt-onset symptoms of schizophrenia are more likely to fully recover than those with gradual-onset symptoms.

Answer 7

My ex-wife's mother was "diagnozed" with "Schizophrenia" and the "doctors" were recommending ETC! Basically this turns a person into a docile virtual zombies by running several thousand volts through a persons head while drugged. I did a lot of research at the time for alternate solutions since Pyschiratry openly admits they have no cures for any of their illnesses. Just "treatments" that make them billions of dollars in Pharmaceutical sales for the rest of the persons life. Nice for them but not nice for the person. I found a website through a few friends and found that their are treatments far more effective than what Pyschiratry was offering. The website is: www.alternatementalhealth.com and gave some great solutions to the problem. I hope this helps :)

Answer 8

There is no cure for schizophrenia. However, my son has schizophrenia and as long as he takes his meds and sees a counselor, he will be able to have a normal and productive life. He has graduated with a Bachelors magna *** laude and is working on his MBA.

It is not as hopeless a diagnosis as one might think.

Answer 9

Those that are functionally cured do not want to announce this to the world that they were once so involved. A small price to pay for peace

Answer 10

I have one very close friend who has schizophrenia, I have known her for 6 years and she is frequently in the hospital with terrible hallucinations and voices. It is so very sad. It is not something they can control at will. There is actually something wrong in the brain. So sorry to say even though they try to control it I am afraid the outcome is usually grim.