I’m newly diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and am struggling with the diagnosis and being on medication for the rest of my life. I’m afraid to tell people the diagnosis and feel ‘less than’. I’m working with a therapist on everything but still have moments of feeling like I’m not enough. How do you cope with this feeling and the thought of being on medicine forever? I’m journaling, using my coping skills, and trying to put these thoughts out of my head but I’m so tired of trying. Does it get better or do you just deal with it?
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Finding this place is a good thing.
Welcome.
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Trust me, it never gets better, you just learn to cope better.
Medications, more medications, and eventually, more medications. Once you have tried them all, you still may not find the optimal combination.
Sometimes, however, this illness gets better with age. And, sometimes the medications click.
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I m very optimistic in regards to your future. I was so sick from psychosis when I were younger and I was maybe the sickest membrer of this board
Today I only take the half of my max dose that I was on 12 years ago. I dont hear voices any more. And I m just psychotic 5 % of the time.
I know that you wont have to taåke meds the rest of your life. Science knows so much about the brain that they may be able to opperate a little chip into your body that will take care of your condition.
Welcome to the forum 
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It can get better, always keep hope.
I started out on 20mg zyprexa, 17 years ago, currently I take 5mg. Life experience has helped me. I am able to work part time and take care of myself. I get partial disability.
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How long ago your medications began to decrease? My medications never decreased and it has been almost 13 years since diagnosis.
I don’t exactly recall. I was not on 20mg for long. Then 10mg for about 6 years. Then I have been on low doses 7.5mg-5mg for the last 10 years.
I don’t have a severe case of sz though. I never heard voices. And I only hallucinated in mid psychosis, which was a real long time ago.
However I have struggled with intrusive thoughts and OCD, but it’s not been bad lately.
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In my case it did get better!! I am honestly feeling very good, the only bad thing is that I am depressed… But it’s a mood thing.
But overall I am asymptomatic most of the time.
Life, symptoms, everything can get better.
Stay positive.
And welcome to forum!
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