Recovery from Schizophrenia Evidence, History, and Hope

Evidence from two highly regarded three-decade NIMH follow-up studies of schizophrenia and other psychoses, conducted by Courtenay Harding and her research team, have revealed that one half to two-thirds of even the most disabled schizophrenia patients achieved significant improvement, and even recovery, over time. These findings are consistent with those from nine other decades'-long studies from across the world, as well as many shorter-term investigations as well. But the field of psychiatry has nevertheless largely failed to accept that recovery is possible for most psychotic patients. Recovery from Schizophrenia provides numerous examples of patients becoming productive citizens, overcoming difficult starts in early life, alongside exciting program strategies and additional research evidence - evidence that provides a blueprint for both how to build new and successful mental health systems, and how to significantly improve clinical training programs. Unfortunately, most service systems still provide primarily stabilization, maintenance, medications, and entitlements under the new guise of rehabilitation.