Does Schizophrenia get worse with age?

Guest over a year ago

The individual you're having a battle of opinion with is absolutely correct. I pursued a PhD in psychology after dealing with a loved ones paranoid schizophrenia for 18 years. It seems that you're quoting archaic studies that are over half a century old ... back when it was okay to perform lobotomies & shock therapy (not only on mental patients, but homosexuals as well). Schizophrenia is unfortunately not curable, however treatable, and it can (and has) lead to dementia in seniors. What appears to "lessen over time" is just a simple case of the body slowing down with age. I have personally tried every single measure for my spouse (including holistic/health retreats & planned activity) and I have been very attentive beyond what is professionally demanded of me to aid several other cases, (unique, though very similar ... for instance, cigarette smoking is a tremendous dependency), hoping to witness a breakthrough, though conclusively, I've yet to witness such a miraculous wonder ... but I still have my fingers crossed and welcome such overdue divine intervention.

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Guest over a year ago

Do yourself and future patients a service and educate yourself beyond textbooks. In the 1950's they still believed Schizophrenia was the result of poor parenting. The problem with assessments is that they are limited to that moment in time. Don't take the arrogant role so may of your colleagues do. Listen to the caregivers. They are your best source of information on improvements verses decline. This is a brain disease with visible changes. Your education is limited to counseling. This disease requires further MEDICAL study and treatments..Counselors that believe they are educated beyond their scope of practice do more harm than good.

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Guest over a year ago

I agree with you 100%

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Guest over a year ago

Hi my brother has been diagnosed with this sickness sents he has been 21 he is now 50 and he has definitely gotten worse over time my mom has always kept him at home until she is now aging and is no longer able to care for him at home any more we have been thru hell trying to find him a place to go because there's no place in society that really can care for these kind of people I'm sure there is some here but not where we live so he ended up having to stay basically in a old peoples home don't get me wrong there wonderful People but I just feel like the way his mood swing one minute to the next and his manic episodes He's more in the state hospital then he is outs I feel so sorry for these kind of people I ve seen my brother live with this all his life and has never gotten better at all I've seen it tare my mom up inside because she can't help him I do beleave it get worse over time or the older they get because he's not gotten any better as he's gotten older only worse

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Guest over a year ago

I had been diagnosed schizophrenic @ I8. (Female) symptoms occurring early teens. I am now 52 & my symptoms are different & worse.! I take meds & have had CBT etc & have community support. It depends on the individual & perhaps it's severity as a brain disorder . We are all unique.! We all must do our best a day at a time. There is no Specific Answer !

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Guest over a year ago

...oh, I meant a very good community support team of GP-Psychiatrist-care coordinator & occasional psychologist !

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Guest over a year ago

...And I am still worse !

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Guest over a year ago

what to do when they refuse meds???

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Guest over a year ago

First off...please find the nearest NAMI. National Alliance Mental Health. You will get unlimited resources. Knowledge of this disease will help you. Also google (Ted Talks)...search for schizophrenia. You can view other peoples experiences of this disease. And a good therapist, for yourself.

The previous reply was a downer. I disagree with part of the sentence; "they get very physical too." This is not accurate. It should state; "some can get physical." You will learn the facts from NAMI. Only a small percentage of people with mental illness can get violent .

Yes I validate your concerns, and being scared of your husband. Please stay calm around him. He needs your love, not your anger. Hate the disease, not the person. And I really do not think you should ever try and trick your husband. Hey... being dishonest may draw a bigger distance between the two of you.

My son came home from Iraq 5 years ago and was diagnosed with this disease. What I am replying to you helped me. I still have hope for everyone with mental illness. Us, the caregivers need to be calm, educated, and hopeful.

My best regards to you and your family.

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Guest over a year ago

I know how you feel my son was diagnosed at age 14 and he is 22 now and he has gotten worse he had an episode yesterday which was worse then the others he has had. It is hard on the family he is still living with us and we are his care givers. Just to let you know you are not alone.

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Guest over a year ago

I know how you feel my son was diagnosed at age 14 and he is 22 now and he has gotten worse he had an episode yesterday which was worse then the others he has had. It is hard on the family he is still living with us and we are his care givers. Just to let you know you are not alone.

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Guest over a year ago

Totally agree! I've been married to a man for almost 20 years now who suffers from schizophrenia and it definitely seems worse now than it did in the beginning. He is experiencing a psychotic break right now and is into his 7th week of it! He was already hospitalized twice in these past seven weeks, and I am looking to get him hospitalized a third time (hopefully). He's never had one this long and I fear that his schizophrenia is going to get worse through the years. I can't take it as it is, I can't imagine it growing in severity. My heart breaks for him, but I am human too, and I can't stand to be around him in the worst of it. He is extremely difficult to live with. There is no education like personal experience, that's for sure!

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Guest over a year ago

It absolutes progresses as more grey matter is lost. My granddaughter deteriorated from age 17 to age 21, when she stood on a busy street and was hit and killed by a car. I really wish these articles would tell the horrible truth about schizophrenia. It is a nightmare for sufferers and their family and the medical community and government is not doing enough to help people with this disabling diseasew.

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Guest over a year ago

It is a progressive disease.

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Guest over a year ago

I appreciate your input, but having a masters degree in mental health does not mean you know what your talking about, unless you have had a family member who suffers from schizophrenia. In fact, your response sounds like it came right out of a text book. I have had to watch my brothers symptoms worsen over the years. It has gotten so bad, that there is no way we can convince him to take meds. It is truly a horrible illness that effects the entire family. My advice to you is to put your text book down. If you really want to learn anything at all, listen to everyone's stories about their family member. There isn't any text book that can educate you better than people who are experiencing it every single day.

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