Age of Onset

The above chart shows the typical age of onset for schizophrenia. The onset of my symptoms occurred when I was twenty-six. It was just after my foster dad died and I returned to college. Women often do experience a later onset than do men. In addition, women typically experience less functional impairment and are more responsive to anti-psychotics. Later onset usually has a better prognosis, too.

That being said, our family worries about the possibility of onset of schizophrenia for our four college students. This being a more common age of onset, we needed family education. We found out that the irregular sleeping patterns, eating habits, pressure to compete, stressful exams and tendency of college students to experiment with alcohol can trigger the first break in someone that is vulnerable due to family history. Schizophrenia affects all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Age of onset is just one commonality..