For the two years after my diagnosis my cognitive abilities went into the toilet. I went from getting 4-5 on AP exams my junior year of highschool to praying I would pass my in class finals my senior year. My first year in college two weeks in I lost the ability to read. I saw the words and read the sentences but was completely incapable of piecing it into a coherent statement. Needless to say college at that point was short lived. This may have been due to symptoms, I was too sick at the time to recall it now with real accuracy. A few hospital stays later and several different medications later I began to be able to piece together magazine anecdotes. Then I was able to read snippets but it was as if I fatigued quickly. It wasn’t due to psychosis at that point although I was not symptom free.
In the past 3 years it is like my brain has been repairing itself. If there was a roadmap of my neural pathways I’m convinced they would look completely reworked. I am in no way at the place I was before I got sick but I was able to get a 2 year degree which as odd as it may sound to some felt like winning the nobel prize. Has anyone else experienced a return of cognitive function? I read so many articles about loss but it seems I never see anything about anyone gaining back the loss, it seems they just stop the loss from continuing.
I went from being unable to comprehend a single sentence in a textbook to now being able to write this post and it gives me great hope for a potential cure. Has anyone else experienced a regain of cognitive ability when their symptoms improved?
When I was at a seminar at columbia university a speaker who studied alzheimer’s mentioned the potential for curing schizophrenia because the brain cells are not dead, they just stop working. He looked ready to go full motivational speaker about it. Have there been any studies where these brain cells start functioning again? Looking to find out if anyone has any input on the topic because it’s something I was pretty much promised would never happen. I have no scientific evidence to support what has happened with me. I just know that something in my brain has changed and it gives me great hope!
I’m glad that you recovered your faculties. I have been back in school for 1 and 1/2 semesters now. Things don’t come as easy as they used to in some ways, others are better. I’m on Risperdal and it might change my memory a bit. I am no longer being lead by my nose by the symptoms. My mind is freed up to do useful and productive things, so that’s how I feel better. I believe the brain can heal itself. My great aunt had a seizure when she was born and only had the use of half of her brain. She had a PhD. Good luck with your recovery.
I noticed this same thing. It’s as if things work differently now. Like I said in my original post I’m nowhere close to where I was before the onset of symptoms but I’m able to learn again. I doubt every person has the cognitive bottom out I did but have you noticed any improvement in your cognitive abilities while in school?
I’ve had improvements in motivation from school. I don’t know if I’ve had an increase in cognitive function as I progress. I have noticed a waking up kind of thing. It’s like I’ve had to come into myself again. Manners come back. I can overpower fears better.
That’s awesome man. I hope it continues for you.
Thanks. I hope you continue to improve too. 
good on you.
take care
I’m not fully recovered. I can read a piece of paper but long text makes me tired. And it’s much a day to day thing. Some days I can hardly read or write anything.
When I first came back to “normal life” from 6 months in the hospital I did not know how to cook even rice or macaroni. Now I can do healthy meals to my family.
It’s amazing to hear there are other people who have experienced some reclaim of their loss. I definitely understand how you feel with the fatigue. It took a lot of time and work for me to be able to read longer text and I still have that fatigue but progress is progress and i’ll take it. That’s awesome I hope your progress continues!
edit I’m not sure full recovery is a real possibility but that sure as hell doesn’t mean we can’t shoot for it.
I think a big part of it is “if you don’t use it you lose it”. With negative symptoms and a lack of concentration it’s easy to stop reading, studying, and just generally using your cognitive abilities. I have regained a good amount of concentration and am more motivated these days so I’m using my mind more than in past years. I still lack the motivation to read novels but I’m improving.
you raise a very valid point. maybe that plays a major role in what i’m talking about. How much using it has to do with recovery and how much it has to do with other influences I have no idea but thank you for that, it brings perspective.I tend to focus almost solely on positive symptoms (not in a positive connotation obv) but like you said at the end of your post the improvement. I think we can both agree the improvement shows there is a difference with schizophrenia compared with other disorders. Just the fact that there is improvement shows there is something that was lacking that is now improving. That improvement with modern medicine has to be some way trackable. If some genius can pinpoint it maybe we could see a resolution to negative symptoms. Idk i tend to shoot for the stars but the fact that we have improvement should motivate some researchers to look into this and see there is potential for cure. Someday I pray.
edit power to you for continuing to work towards improvement. I know as well as anyone it’s not a quick path. improvement is progress and any step forward is cause for celebration!
No, it is not a quick path but it is a worthwhile one. When I first started out I asked my psychiatrist what I should read and she said, “Read the classics.” I started reading from The Great Books series. That led me into philosophy and letters. Now I enjoy several types of reading: philosophy, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, science, history, sci-fi, At first I had to read things that were broken down into smaller forms, like Marcus Aurelius, Epicurus, Epictetus, the letters of Seneca, Then later my concentration span improved. Now for example, in reading Henry James I can enjoy his novellas but still can’t get into “Portrait of a Lady.” or longer works like “The Golden Bowl.”
I have a hard time focusing - it could be the meds. Not blaming everything on the meds, but there is some truth to it.
Also, I have a difficult time with long posts - I kind of like my info to be short and to the point.
My news has to be in headlines format - I dont sit there and read long drawn out boring news articles, this is why I like cable news. I have a hard time with reading long books or novels - I just dont have the focus or energy or patience anymore
My ability to read goes in and out sometimes, but recently since school has started I haven’t had many problems and have been able to keep up with the required reading. My main problem is that sometimes I can’t understand what people are saying. I haven’t been able to figure out when it will happen. Yes it happens when I’m stressed and psychotic, but it also happens when I am home relaxing and watching a movie. This past year I also have had problems doing simple things like my laundry. I also instead of saying “yesterday” or “tomorrow” name the day because I can’t relate the information in my head. It’s frustrating and I feel like I can’t think. It seems though that since my meds are good and I’m getting more frequent ECT treatments, the cognitive symptoms aren’t as troublesome. I really hope it comes back and stays back as I’m hoping to get a job when I graduate next year. 
I’m really thrilled to have read your post and the positive responses. I haven’t been able to accumulate full cognitive function like before but I’m more focused on tracking things end to end. A movie a diet program an educational book or even a novel. I may still seem to loose focus sometimes and just wander but the impact of trying is very positive and promising. We need to use it more often in order to determine how far one can go. Thank you it was very helpful to read your post and hope to keep up with your latest. Congratulations on the degree.
Qutaiba
My meds help me focus better
@betamix, Congratulations on the improvement. Just one more step closer to beating this.
My cognitive abilities came back when my meds got level and I managed to stay stable for a while. Then it did seem like some of the wiring in my brain started to try and work again.
As I’ve not had a full break in a while, I think my brain is trying to heal. It does seem like the longer I go with level meds and no break, the stronger I feel.
It still took a while for my ability to read to came back.
My ability to read does rise and fall. Somedays I can read pretty well and other days I really can’t seem to put the words on the page into my head.
They just seem like shapes. Also it depends on what I’m reading… I have to take text books in slow tiny portions. But gentle humor books or light reading I’m better with.
I also agree with @Malvok if I don’t use the skill, I will loose the skill.
J took the words right out of my head! With the right meds my cognition is coming back. My reading ability is slowly coming back, although it ebbs and wanes.