Does Schizophrenia Get Worse with Age?

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In lots of ways my positive symptoms are well controlled but my negative and cognitive issues have worsened.
I’m 57 years old.

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I thought i read that it usually gets better with age. Im sure there are some cases where thats not true though.

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I hope mine gets better with age. Im 31 so only time will tell.

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Schizophrenia makes it’s victims neglect and harm themselves. I believe this is the reason why overall having a case may or may not negatively impact an individual long term. Therefore, the negative impact related to age and the passage of time is secondary to the main issue of schizophrenia.

On the other hand, I know from first hand experience that individuals who had their first psychosis late in life, usually women of >50 years old, don’t recover at all until their death. Those who were born disabled also have it hard, in comparison to the majority of patients, who had their first psychosis in late teens to mid twenties. Those tend to get better with age.

The tendency may appear reassuring, however I personally met a 50-60 years old man who was deep in psychosis, and, inferring from his own words, he stayed that way since late teens.

Symptoms explicitly associated with schizophrenia tend to get better with age. But not overall health.

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I am age 74, on small dose Haldol for 42 years, added Seroquel 17 years ago. Some of my patient friends who smoked died in their early fifties.
My cognition is still good. Positives are ok with some residuals. Negatives have not improved. Sleep became impossible without meds at some point. I was over medicated at age 73 in Veterans hospital and now have long term neurological damage. If it were not for that, my condition has not changed much.

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I’ve had more and more symptoms and more hospitalisations and meds over the years so I don’t know about if I’m getting better. And menopause supposedly worsens sz/sza so I’m not sure if I’d get much better. I’m not yet in perimenopause but soon getting there. Must just stay on meds as told to!!

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For me, it’s gotten better with age as the pdoc’s have become more skilled at treating me over time. And as I’ve become more skilled at treating myself with good coping skills. And, as I’ve learned to stay on my meds, as ordered, no matter what.

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I’ve been using a free online text to speech converter to create my own customised positive affirmations tapes. I feel much better after looping the audio tracks and playing them for 10 minutes, really takes me out of my delusional fantasies.

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positive symptons decrease because we lose a percentage around 7% of dopamine every ten years. so, sz positive symptons tend to get better after 50 years of age. lower levels of dopamine.

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I’m kinda in the same boat! Can I ask you what symptoms bother you most? I disassociate a lot and I hate it

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I dont like social interaction. I dont like restaurants for example with much people talking. it bothers me.

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Avolition, depression, inserted thoughts, self harm thoughts and acts, other symptoms too but meds help them

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Im 25 years old and counting. I dont know if i have schizophrenia but im not ok just hanging in there hey buf how are you there? Hey look here im not gonna be picked on stop spazzing out. Im not okay i feel as if im losing the tension between the real world and lucid dreaming beautoful son so beautoful i love yoh ok im done om

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