If a person has been diagnosed correctly with the disorder and is properly functioning in daily life with current treatment (with full knowledge that the disorder has ups and downs), can the disorder get worse as time goes on?
207357
Generally, if someone with schizoaffective disorder is functioning well on a medication regime and they continue to comply with treatment, it is not often that you see any degeneration in their condition. However, it is not uncommon, particularly if people have been well for some time, for them to attempt to come off medication, which often leads to relapse (not always, but mostly). Another significant problem can be the long-term use of medication itself. This condition is usually treated with a mood stabilizer in conjunction with an anti-psychotic. The anti-psychotic medicines at a high dose and over a long period of time can cause a condition called "tardive dyskinesia", which can affect movement and speech. Obviously, this is not desirable and careful monitoring of physical health, as well as mental state is an absolute must. Overall though, it is very difficult to predict, as each individual's experience of the illness is different, including how long it takes to relapse, what the signs are, how long the recovery process takes, etc. I hope that this helps!
262688
The value of treatment is to offer you a chance to get a little relief from your emotional stress (it is EXHAUSTING to change moods fast, control anger, maintain relationships with family and friends, hold down a job, etc. when all of these goals conflict.) The world isn't easy for anyone, but it's exponentially harder when you're fighting depression, the desire to cut and maim yourself, uncontrollable compulsions, extreme anxiety and miscellaneous other pressures. You can choose not to continue therapy, but honestly you can live a more balanced life. You might have to change doctors a few times, and will DEFINITELY change medications more than a few times. Bipolar disorder is a chemical imbalance that requires medication to balance. And PTSD can be controlled with therapy. But you have to be willing to work with someone, and be patient. Its a long, hard road. But you have every right to a happier life. And I urge you to pursue it.
619035
I can honestly say it will get better...I am on the same meds plus Mirtazpine(seems to help me eat more)...There were days I felt the same way, heck, I aint gonna lie, I still have days that way, everybody does. But, fortunately for me I have a doctor who didnt give up on me. We had to try a lot of different combinations of meds before we found the right one. And yes, some days I hate having to take all these meds, but for me I know I have to. Being Bipolar isnt easy to understand,and its not always easy to live with, but it could always be worse... Hang in there and take it one day at a time....
351886
If he is on a prescription, then when it is almost finished and he has followed his doctor's advice, he will be felling much better. If he is treating himself, depended what virus he has, it could be tomorrow or Never! Your guess is as good as mine.
155752
YES, they most certainly do.  My husband was facing a medical discharge last year, but they decided there was really no reason for it, since the condition didn't surface until he had been in the military for four years, and it can be controlled by medication.  There are other people who have gotten discharged though, even people we know.
634961
Only a qualified mental health professional could answer that one for you.  Online diagnosis is dicey.
281445
As someone with plenty of experience with related conditions, I think the answer is kind of complicated... Yes, there is a tendency towards overdiagnosis and overanalyzing these days, however...I think they've also gotten better at recognizing these kinds of problems. I don't think any of it reflects an actual increase in cases...I think it reflects things like catching cases that would have formerly gone under the radar, having broader definitions for the terms, and that tendency to label everything as pathological. There are some fringe groups who would have you believe otherwise, and I have encountered them as a person with NLD who's done a lot of research about it...but that's all they are: fringe groups who either want to scare people, sell something to people, or just benefit from bending the statistics somehow. \n\n"Autism", when it first came into the lexicon, was something very specific and very rare; these days, they talk about an "autistic spectrum", which is broad and easy to manipulate into whatever you want it to be to fit a particular situation. I think ADHD has a similar problem with terminology.
448286
No issues, as long as you find the right meds and keep taking them. I am bipolar and have been for 25+ years. I have been married 20 years and hold down a very high pressure job.
192582
I would not necessarily say that it is going to get worse if you don't take drugs.  It's probably going to get worse if you stay in a "diseased" state.  I have had 3 episodes of bipolar disorder with a small number of schizoaffective symptoms.  I have a medical background and a degree in biology which facilitates my understanding of these diseases.  I have read research that indicates the brain is most definately damaged by mental illness -- physically.  In other words, your actual physical brain structure is altered -- for the worse.  MRI studies can find infarcts that correlate with psychotic episodes.\n\nIn sum, treatment is required to prevent the symptoms, because the longer you live in an "ill" state, the more you expose your brain to the types of chemicals that lead to these type of physical changes.\n\nIf you require drugs to be okay, then by all means, use them and use them religiously.\n\nI personally have used drugs periodically to get back to normal and regain function; closely coordinated with psychotherapy.  I do not currently take medication, and I am fine.\n\nIf your condition is more constant in nature, I would highly recommend lifelong treatment with drugs.\n\nI myself have tried antipsychotics, which I do believe helped.  However, the risk of tardive dyskinesia (which is marked by abnormal muscle movements most notably in the eye muscles) is a great risk to take.  This is why I stopped taking this medication and motivated myself to abate the symptoms in other ways.\n\nBipolar drugs are another matter.  Lithium is cheap but has lots of side effects.  Other drugs may have fewer side effects but be very expensive.\n\nOnce again, I'd rather live without drugs than deal with side effects or a drain on my pocketbook.\n\nAny health decisions should be made with the help of a doctor, and possibly even more than one doctor in cases like this.  I would advise discussing this question with a licensed psychiatrist.  (NOT A THERAPIST.  A MEDICAL DOCTOR WITH A PSYCHIATRY SPECIALTY.)\n\nBest wishes.
628079
Yes, if you don't get treatment for it you could make it worse. The bipolar state puts stress on the brain and other parts of your body. You could end up in a vegetable state,
561263
It can lead to hemorrage (sp) and other problems, but if it's monitored, it's really not that bad......or mine wasn't, I don't think.  They stay kinda loopy for a year or so, off and on.  I bled a lot, and had some pretty serious depression for several months, off & on.  I would advise anyone looking to quit the dope "cold turkey" to find a 6 month inpatient program, if not a year-long one.  It's HARD to stay off when it's become such a.........well, around here it becomes a way of life.  It's hard to turn your back on the only thing you know.
98911
There is around a 70% chance of significant improvement after therapy, so as long as you have tried everything else and cannot live with it, it is an OK option.
192507
Every case is different.  It can depend on several things, like the total health of the individual.  The biggest issue can be blood clots or clotting period.  The Spinal fluid that flows through our brain has to have a path for it to flow freely or it will clot.  The condition can get worst, yes, but with proper care and diagnosis early the person can live with little problems. I pray that you will be fine.
343447
Depending on the severity of her bad times , yes it can be true.  Each human being reacts to stress differently and it does sound like she needs some professional help.
453453
He has a problem that will only ge worse if it is not adressed.  Suck it up and tell him to get the help he needs.  If it is meant to be, then it will be.
334129
It is extremely important to obtain an accurate diagnosis before trying to find a cure.  Many diseases and conditions share common symptoms: if you treat yourself for the wrong illness or a specific symptom of a complex disease, you may delay legitimate treatment of a serious underlying problem.  In other words, the greatest danger in self-treatment may be self-diagnosis. If you do not know what you really have, you can not treat it!
277317
Well yes and no.  I think that it is a life time thing, but with the right meds and regular counseling I think you can "get over it".  But have to keep up on the meds or you relaps quickly.\n\nSo yes you can feel "normal" again and stay that way, but you have to stay on the meds to keep feeling "normal"