In most cases, the average age of onset for men is in the early to mid-20’s and late 20’s for women.  The onset may be gradual or very abrupt, but in either case there are three main phases: The first phase is the prodromal phase, the second phase is the active phase and the third phase is the residual phase. 

These phases can last from a few days to a few years, it just depends on the individual.  The course of the disease also varies.  Some can experience constant remissions, while others always remain ill.

25% of the people with schizophrenia completely recover from the disease, but most people tend to have some residual effects for the rest of their life. Those individuals who are female, developed the disease at an older age, receive immediate treatment after onset, have brief periods of the active phase, have few residual symptoms, have less structural brain abnormalities and have better cognitive functioning will most likely have a better outcome of recovering completely from schizophrenia (DSM IV 2000).