Residual schizophrenia is a very mild form of schizophrenia. Like its name suggests, this is a condition that exhibits only residual symptoms of a severe condition. A residual type mental illness is one in which the mental illness does not progress, and instead, it goes into regression after an intense episode.
While residual schizophrenia does not mean that the mental illness is gone or cured, it does mean that the symptoms are in regression. Since this is a mild form of the mental condition, there could be mild symptoms now and then. The most severe symptoms of residual schizophrenia may still occur, but they do not lead to delusions and a complete disorganization of the patient’s life or daily routine.
There are some treatments which can make living with residual schizophrenia completely manageable. Both medications and psychotherapy can be used to contain the symptoms and to make the remission last longer. Most patients are likely to have a complete recovery after a brief adjustment period. Owing to these factors, residual schizophrenia prognosis is usually very good.
Some of the other illnesses which are categorized in the residual class include residual type psychosis and residual type antisocial personality disorder. These disorders are very mild form of the full blown conditions. Fortunately, they can be treated completely and are rather easy to manage as well. There is, however, an adjustment period which requires a lot of hard work and concentration.
Symptoms
Both undifferentiated and residual schizophrenia have some intense symptoms, but unlike undifferentiated schizophrenia, the residual type has defined symptoms which are very easy to identify. When the symptoms are especially intense, the patient is considered to be having a psychotic episode. However, this does not mean that the symptoms may not go back into remission after some time.
Usually when the psychotic episode ends, the patient suffering from residual schizophrenia may not experience the symptoms again for an extended period of time. While hallucinations and delusions may still keep occurring, these are usually very low key and the person is almost asymptomatic.
Since the symptoms of this condition are not quite as severe as in other kinds of schizophrenia, the diagnosis of the condition could be a little difficult. A thorough examination would be needed for the doctor to understand the symptoms. After one or more sessions with the patient, the doctor is usually able to understand the condition, and discuss a treatment path for it. The treatment recommendations should ideally only be made after the condition has been diagnosed. Since the symptoms are mild, the treatment and the medications are also much milder.
Usually the medications include mood enhancers. These help the patient carry on with some semblance of their normal lives. This also helps the patient engage with the normal day to day tasks without any major outbreaks and symptoms. Psychotherapy in a controlled environment is another method of treatment for residual schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a condition which has a lot of social stigma attached to it. Since there are a lot of social implications of this condition, treatment should be given out almost immediately.
As compared to the acute phase of the illness, the symptoms in the residual phase are almost comparable to none, so management of the condition is much easier. However, different people may experience the symptoms in varying degrees of intensities, so it is important to continue the therapy till the time the symptoms are in complete remission.
Conditions which have an insidious onset especially, when the symptoms begin to develop during the early years of a child’s life, the prognosis of the condition are especially poor. The prognosis is also poor when there is anomalous brain chemistry or the function of the brain is not proper.