I am fortunate that I’ve made it as far as I have–I’m in my mid-fifties. Many people with similar psychiatric illnesses don’t live this long. This is despite the commonly held expectation among non-afflicted that most people should live into their eighties or nineties.
The average life expectancy for people with schizophrenia is about sixty years. I hope to live longer than that, but no one can predict the future. Meanwhile, I am experiencing the numerous ramifications of being older and having schizophrenia.
In the past, I’ve done essays about people with mental illness having short and tragic lives, and how healthy living habits aren’t promoted by treatment practitioners. Institutionalized mentally ill people are often provided with a poor diet, high in fatty and sugary foods. The medications we are mandated to take often block the ability to exercise the body. These medications are often harmful to the organs. Additionally, physicians don’t try as hard to help mentally ill people have a long, healthy lifespan; this could be due to the presumption that our lives are not valuable.
However, the focus on this week’s column is that of living as a somewhat older person with this disease. And there are many aspects to that.
I’m 59 and I’m blessed enough to have many low cost things that I enjoy doing on a regular basis. I work a volunteer job as well. This is enough for me.
I hope to make it to my 90’s.
Gotta beat my Father at something.
Also not all doctors treat patients with mi in a poor manner.
My primary care doctor does everything she can to help me feel better physically.
She treats me like she would any of her other patients.
i don’t really want to live a long time. my hallucinations don’t go away and they are very difficult to live with. i’m glad you posted this article though.
That’s not good either. I take the maximum recommended dose of Geodon. It’s not a 1st generation AP but it’s associated with cardiac risks.
I have taken lower doses and was very unstable on them. Were it not for maxing out Geodon and adding Latuda I would have never have been able to go back to school or work.
I think the article is stating that people who adhere to a treatment protocol that works are more likely to seek treatment for other “physical” problems as well.
I know when I was really sick I didnt see a primary care doctor for years. I just didn’t have the energy to care about other problems.
Now that I am on a cocktail that works, I seek treatment for my other health issues as well.
Well, that sure brightened my day. (sarcasm) (Not your fault @SzAdmin.)
At age 58 and having paranoid schizophrenia since I was 19 I guess I need to be more aware of the challenges that lie ahead. Actually my sister told me a couple of months ago that I am not a burden to my family. I was so relieved. I still get around pretty good and I’m out a lot and just recently started taking walks.
IDK. The mind still works fairly well. The physical health needs more taking care of than the mental health. I take my meds and see the pdoc like I’ve done for years and I maintain my mental health that way and it takes care of itself.
I’m 55, and I was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia at age 21. I’ve been taking various psych meds the entire time on a daily basis.
I’ve had two strokes, have diabetes, hypertension, and non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL). I have a fairly healthy diet and exercise daily, but I do smoke about 5 cigarettes daily and have 1 or 2 premium cigars weekly.
I’m content. If I get another 5 years that would be great and I will not feel that I’ve been cheated. Life is not fair, so it is what it is.
My grandma used to say her favourite age was sixty.
She had more confidence,knew herself better,kids were grown up but she still had grandchildren when she wanted, she had a boyfriend and went out dancing every week and she had a dog and a home she felt happy in and had lived in for many years.
I am 41.
My father’s happiest age was 70. he met his new wife and became a champion in sports winning best in the whole country, he retired and has good home and living,many friends,travels etc
I hope we will have good lives and live well past sixty but we have each other and the forum which may enrichen our lives and help us.
For those of us that don’t have friends it’s very good support and socialising.
Here I am, going to be 75 in a couple of weeks and alive in the struggle. It was clear to me in my 50’s that I needed more than living alone in my apartment so I’ve been in a home for quite a while. It’s been a good home for me here but the providers are getting older too, so I may have to make another adjustment before I die. I used to say I wanted to live to be 100 but I don’t even have the energy to think about that anymore. I am concentrating on getting a more positive idea of children and where I can be of help to them. I was always very negative toward any ideas of mothering. It’s never too late to learn.
Congratulations @PinCushion. I hope you have a long and prosperous life.
I hope Social Security still offers early retirement at 62 when I get older but they probably won’t. I imagine I will probably have to work until I am at least into mid sixties unless I go back on SSDI before then.
I look forward to being able to retire again and hope to have at least a few years left.
he met his new wife and became a champion in sports winning best in the whole country, he retired and has good home and living,many friends,travels etc
to you guyzzz.