My psychiatrist said I’m recovering from a psychotic break?

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My psychiatrist said that he thinks that my schizophrenia is improving. Is this even possible? It was my understanding that there was no cure or chance for recovery in schizophrenia. Especially since I was only diagnosed two and a half years ago. Is it really possible that I could keep on getting better as time goes on?

75% of folks who have mental illness recover. in my case, psychosis rapidly went away when I was started on appropriate meds and stayed away once I took these meds regularly. other folks still have some symptoms, but many are able to function.

Do you have a source for that? (To clarify, I am not trying to be 'harsh' or the like, I'm genuinely interested.)

My understanding of it - specifically schizophrenia - it can most definitely improve, especially with medication and a solid management plan in place. Going away completely? Unlikely, although it can become residual there's still the chance that the symptoms can return as strongly as they were felt before. This is especially true if the improvement was due to medication, and then the person stops taking their medication, or with increased situational stress.

I'm glad for you that your situation has improved.

There is no cure for schizophrenia, but it can improve. In most cases, the initial psychotic episode will remit, but often you'll continue to have 'negative symptoms' (social impairment and executive dysfunction). In terms of psychotic symptoms, a few people have chronic psychotic symptoms, but in most they come and go over time.

Reference:

http://schizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org/content/24/1/75.full.pdf

After 10 years, of the people diagnosed with schizophrenia:

25% Completely Recover
25% Much Improved, relatively independent
25% Improved, but require extensive support network
15% Hospitalized, unimproved
10% Dead (Mostly Suicide)


After 30 years, of the people diagnosed with schizophrenia:

25% Completely Recover
35% Much Improved, relatively independent
15% Improved, but require extensive support network
10% Hospitalized, unimproved
15% Dead (Mostly Suicide)

http://www.schizophrenia.com/szfacts.htm