Myth / People never recover from schizophrenia.

Fact / Some people with schizophrenia recover completely from the illness—all their psychotic symptoms disappear and they return to their previous level of functioning. Others continue to have some symptoms but are able to lead satisfying and productive lives, working and living independently in the community. About one-third of people with schizophrenia do not recover significantly and may have to be institutionalized.

Myth / Schizophrenia is contagious.

Fact / Fear of contagion results in people avoiding those who have schizophrenia. Fear of contagion also lead to the stigmatization of family members, mental health professionals, and places of treatment.

Different outcomes for different people / The misconception that people cannot recover from schizophrenia leads to hopelessness and despair for individuals. It may also cause families to neglect or abandon their ill relatives. But, the disorder takes many different courses, with varying outcomes.
     Wide variation occurs in the course of schizophrenia. Some people have episodes of illness lasting weeks or months with full remission of their symptoms between each episode; others have a fluctuating course in which symptoms are continuous but rise and fall in intensity; others have very little variation in the symptoms of their illness over time. At one end of the spectrum, the person has a single episode of schizophrenia followed by complete recovery; at the other end of the spectrum is a course in which the illness never abates.

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