Prognosis in psychology and mental health is a field which is used to refer to the probable future of a condition and the likelihood of improvement, recovery or prolonged management. It is influenced by several conditions including the nature and the extent of the disorder, duration that the person has been experiencing the disorder, his or her resilience, social support and access to effective treatment.
There is no predetermined prognosis; it may vary according to conditions and treatment. Indicatively, when an individual, who is going through major depressive disorder has early therapy and has a strong family support the prognosis, is often positive and the individual is able to recover significantly and resume normal functioning. Conversely, a person diagnosed with schizophrenia who does not get treatment and social support might have a harder prognosis that continues to trouble him in everyday life. Knowledge of prognosis helps clinicians to create achievable objectives, customize therapy, and assist people to anticipate the obstacles and chances of the recovery process.