The course of psychotic illness is variable with some people having a mild illness without ongoing symptoms or problems but with others having chronic and debilitating symptoms and inability to live independently. Adequate early and sustained treatment of the symptoms and avoiding recreational drugs and alcohol are the two best ways to maximize the chance of a good outcome.
The premorbid stage occurs before the first symptoms started. The prodrome refers to the first symptoms that occur, usually years before the psychotic break, and which are nonspecific. These nonspecific or ‘basic symptoms’ may include changes in personality, moodiness, beginnings of social withdrawal and trouble at school or work, and mild or infrequent paranoia, misperceptions or odd thoughts. The first psychotic episode denotes the period when the symptoms worsen to the point of loss of contact with reality. It is often at this stage that contact with a mental health provider first occurs. Symptoms often respond well to medications, but there is often some loss of functioning that is not regained. With subsequent psychotic episodes, the chance of symptom remission lessons and there is often greater impairment in functioning. In the residual or stable phase there is less variability in symptoms over time but continued problems in social/academic and work areas of life. | 
