I read that the prognosis for schizoaffective is much better than that for schizophrenia. I also read that only 5 percent of the people end up committing suicide with schizoaffective (compare that to 20-odd percent with Bipolar). The course of the illness gets better in middle age. Sometimes, the symptoms just go away in middle age. People who are well tend to work in two-year bursts with schizoaffective.
I am beginning to see the difference between schizoaffective and schizophrenia. I think latter is more severe on average.
I agree. Some people can be functional with either while for others either can be more limiting. However, if we discuss the average course of outcome, schizoaffective disorder may be less severe.
A lot of people are treatment resistant you know, Clozapine doesn’t even work for them. So, it depends on each individual, too.
I am considered a weird combination of treatment resistant and high functioning.
BUT – It’s just as painful and frustrating as SZ, and I’m sure the many people on this site with SZA would back me up on this. It’s tough having to manage both mood/affective and SZ symptoms.
Though I guess it’s good to know that overall, our suicide rates are lower.
I don’t know the etiology of the biology of schizophrenia. I think the dopamine part is still a hypothesis. If anything, the scientists are looking at glutamate carefully.
I read it online on websites. I don’t know how accurate these websites are…but I think some people stay the same, some get worse, and a lot are better off.
Think about all the people with sz for whom Clozapine doesn’t work. Imagine if nothing works… In that case, they probably are inclined towards ending their lives it seems to me.