Many people are able to recover from schizophrenia. While estimates of recovery vary, the RANZCP cites research indicating that somewhat more than half of persons diagnosed with schizophrenia achieve good or partial recovery between episodes. One in every seven people recovers almost completely. Others who do not recover include those who become chronically ill or severely impaired. Recovery is defined as having symptoms low enough so that one can live a substantially happy life and being free of debilitating side effects of medication. Many people who experience hallucinations or delusions think it means that something bad will happen if they don't keep these thoughts locked away from others. They may feel guilty or ashamed because they believe other people think less of them or fear they might go crazy like their family member or friend who has schizophrenia. This can lead them to hide their illness from others. But recovery is possible even for those who hear voices all the time. It's possible to live a full life even though you take medications every day for the rest of your life. And it's possible to get better and better over time until you no longer need medication. People with schizophrenia have many advantages when it comes to recovering fast - like getting sick early on in life and taking medications regularly. But even without these factors, some people are able to recover completely while others remain chronically ill.