How bad does schizophrenia get?

Horrible: Severe schizophrenia can destroy a person's life--and that of the family too. Some do not respond to any available treatments or have debilitating side effects from them. They can be constantly terrified, hounded by voices and hallucinations and plagued by horrific delusions of horrible things that are going to happen. It frequently is a chronic disorder, so improvements may be transitory.

Beyond psychosis: I agree completely with dr. Elliott that psychotic symptoms such as hallucination and delusions can be severe. Worst thing about schizophrenia is that even when hallucinations and delusions are resolved, lack of motivation and cognitive problems will remain debilitating. Rehabilitation is needed to address these problems even when psychotic symptoms have been controlled with medication.

Schizophrenia : Imagine the worst nightmare you've ever had, and not being able to turn it off. Imagine having little to no access to competent care. The terror of schizophrenia cannot be overstated for those who suffer from it unchecked. How bad can it get? It can result in repeated violence and suicide.