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Can Depression And Anxiety Cause Seizures

Treatments And Tips To Avoid Seizures Caused By Stress

Q& A – How to Cope with Epilepsy, Depression and Anxiety

As discussed above, seizures can not be cured entirely or stopped. But you should know that you could reduce the possibility of experiencing seizures by stopping the causes behind them. In this case, we are focusing

on stress-induced seizures. Following are some tips you can practice daily to avoid stress.

  • safe exercises to maintain body balance and mental balance
  • meditation techniques like deep breathing
  • talk about your mental condition with a trusted person
  • enjoy all possible moments in life
  • engage in activities that make you happy

If you are stressed often, we highly recommend you to get medications. After discussing your situation with your doctor, they may introduce you to psychological sessions with a psychologist. It is proven that psychological well-being is essential to move through stress and anxiety.

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Anxiety As A Symptom Of Epilepsy

Anxiety is not a purely psychological or psychosocial phenomenon. It also can occur as a direct result of neurobiological factors like abnormal brain function and seizures.

  • Some factors that are responsible for seizures may also be responsible for anxiety, which can manifest itself in various ways in epilepsy. For instance, many people report feelings and symptoms of anxiety as part of their “aura.”
  • Some components of anxiety, such as obsessiveness and agitation, may be seen in people with epilepsy-related psychosis.
  • Similar anxiety can be seen in people with brain damage.
  • Although the exact relationship between brain abnormalities and anxiety is extremely complex and not very well understood, it is clear that there is a relationship. Both psychological and biological components of anxiety are particularly apparent in people with seizures.

Why Do I Forget Words When Speaking

If you forget words when speaking you could have aphasia and it can range from mild to severe. Aphasia is considered a communication disorder that is caused by damage or injury to the areas of the brain associated with language. This is more common in older adults and particularly those who have suffered from a stroke. People with aphasia may find it difficult speaking and finding the appropriate words to complete their thoughts. There are several types of aphasia and they can affect people in different ways. The most common types are Brocas aphasia, Wernicks aphasia and anomic aphasia.

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Anxiety And Depression In Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy: A Matter Of Psychological History

  • 1Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives , Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique , Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
  • 2Département de Neurologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nancy, Nancy, France
  • 3Unité de Formation et de Recherche Médecine Paris Centre, Université de Paris, Paris, France
  • 4Centre de Recherche en Automatique de Nancy , Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique , Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France

Purpose: Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent in patients with epilepsy , and these symptoms can even precede the onset of the pathology. We aimed to define the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms at the time of the epilepsy diagnosis and the factors related to their presence in newly diagnosed adult patients.

Methods: One hundred and twelve newly diagnosed patients were assessed, usually in the week after diagnosis. Patients were untreated at this time. We used the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item scale . A semi-structured interview was conducted to collect sociodemographic and epilepsy data and patients’ psychiatric history. We first compared patients with and without anxiety symptoms, then patients with and without depressive symptoms.

Atypical Expressions Of Depression In Epilepsy

Can anxiety cause seizures without epilepsy?

The atypical presentation of depressive disorders in people with epilepsy has been recognized for a long time. Using DSM-III-R criteria, Mendez et al. studied the clinical semiology of 175 patients with epilepsy 22% of 96 patients with a depressive episode were classified as having atypical depression . Kraepelin and then Bleuler were the first authors to describe a pleomorphic pattern of symptoms that included affective symptoms consisting of prominent irritability intermixed with euphoric mood, fear, and symptoms of anxiety, as well as anergia, pain, and insomnia. Gastaut confirmed Kraepelin and Bleuler’s observations, leading Blumer to coin the term interictal dysphoric disorder to refer to this type of depression in epilepsy . Blumer described the chronic course of the disorder as having recurrent symptom-free periods and as responding well to low doses of antidepressant medication.

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The Concern About Anxiety And Seizures

Those with anxiety have a tendency to fear the worst. Those with panic attacks even more so. Anxiety causes the brain to focus on worst case scenarios, and unfortunately that means that if you have a panic attack you’re more prone to believing it’s caused by something worse – something like a seizure.

Why Should Neurologists Identify Depression In Epilepsy

Failing to treat and identify depressive disorders in people with epilepsy has serious consequences at several levels:

  • Increased suicidality risk. Depression in patients with epilepsy is associated with a significantly higher suicide rate than in the general population. In a review of 11 studies, Harris and Barrowclough found the overall suicide rate in people with epilepsy to be five times higher than in the general population and 25 times greater for patients with complex partial seizures of temporal lobe origin. In a review of the literature, Jones et al. identified a lifetime average suicide rate of 12% in people with epilepsy compared to 1.1% to 1.2% in the general population. Similarly, Kanner et al. identified a 13% prevalence of habitual postictal suicidal ideation among 100 patients with refractory epilepsy .

  • Negative impact on quality of life. Five studies involving pharmacoresistant epilepsy patients demonstrated that depression is the most powerful predictor of health-related reduction in quality of life, even after controlling for seizure frequency, severity, and other psychosocial variables . Cramer et al. determined that depression was significantly associated with poor quality-of-life scores on the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-89, independent of seizure type however, the investigators found that seizure-freedom for the last 3 months improved the quality-of-life ratings .

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    Nes That Have An Organic Cause

    These seizures have a physical cause . They include fainting and seizures with metabolic causes such as diabetes.

    Because organic NES have a physical cause, they may be relatively easy to diagnose and the underlying cause can be found. For example, a faint may be diagnosed as being caused by a physical problem in the heart. In these cases, if the underlying cause can be treated the seizures will stop.

    How To Recognize Depressive Disorders In The Neurology Clinic

    Ask Amy: I have OCD and anxiety-induced seizures. How can I become less frightened of my symptoms?

    Clearly, depression in epilepsy is not a homogeneous condition. How can a neurologist identify a depressive disorder in patients with epilepsy? First, inquiring about anhedonia, that is, the inability to find pleasure in most activities, is an excellent predictor of the presence of depression. Second, the use of self-rating screening instruments is typically revealing.

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    Seasonal Affective Disorder Is A Reality For Many As Winter Approaches Daily Nebraskan

    Seasonal affective disorder is a reality for many as winter approaches.

    Our findings suggest that the visibility of patient-related aspects such as severe physical comorbidity and also mental comorbidity may establish whether GPs refer constantly clinically seizure meds and depression depressed patients to mental healthcare experts. Evidence for therapy of chronically clinically depressed people with comorbidity is still restricted.

    What Happens During The Seizure

    Asking you about what happens during a seizure can be helpful to find the cause. If you dont remember your seizures, you might like to bring along someone who has seen your seizures.

    The specialist might ask you about:

    • when your seizures happen
    • whether you get any warning before a seizure happens
    • what happens to you during the seizure. If you dont remember, a witness could help describe what happens to you
    • how long the seizures last
    • what you remember, if anything, about the seizure afterwards
    • how you feel afterwards and how long it takes you to recover.

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    What Is The Difference Between A Panic Attack And A Pnes

    PNES and panic attacks can both occur due to stress and anxiety. However, there are slight differences between these two conditions. Panic attacks are typical episodes with classic symptoms resembling those of anxiety. The symptoms can occur within 10 minutes, and the affected person may remain functional during the attack.

    On the other hand, PNES or pseudoseizures have no symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks. They start gradually and often last longer. Some people with PNES may also experience panic attack symptoms. Doctors often use panic attacks as a differential diagnostic tool to differentiate between neurological seizures and PNES.

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    Symptoms That Mimic Epilepsy Linked To Stress Poor Coping Skills

    Anxiety Epilepsy Foundation

    Based on their clinical experience and observations, a team of Johns Hopkins physicians and psychologists say that more than one-third of the patients admitted to The Johns Hopkins Hospitals inpatient epilepsy monitoring unit for treatment of intractable seizures have been discovered to have stress-triggered symptoms rather than a true seizure disorder.

    These patients returning war veterans, mothers in child-custody battles and over-extended professionals alike have what doctors are calling psychogenic non-epileptic seizures . Their display of uncontrollable movements, far-off stares or convulsions, Johns Hopkins researchers say, are not the result of the abnormal electrical discharges in the brain that characterize epilepsy, but instead appear to be stress-related behaviors that mimic and are misdiagnosed as the neurological disorder.

    One potent clue, the researchers note, is that antiseizure medications fail to stop these patients symptoms, suggesting nothing is physically wrong with their brains electrical activity. The researchers also say the diagnoses appear to be on the rise, at least by what they have seen in recent months.

    When the team discovers individuals who, using a computer analogy, dont have a hardware problem but a software glitch, they get the good news. Often, Krauss says, symptoms go away quickly. But, Brandt says, such patients often need cognitive behavior therapy to help them develop more effective coping skills.

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    Data Collection And Quality Control

    The data was collected using a pretested structured questionnaire developed in English and translated to Amharic and then to English by expertise and senior psychiatrist to ensure its consistency. The questionnaire was pre-tested on 5 % of the sample size at AMSH two days prior to data collection. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics and clinical factors of epilepsy. Concerning co-morbid anxiety, depression and stigma, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and stigma scale were used, respectively. HADS is a 14-item questionnaire, commonly used to screen for symptoms of anxiety and depression. The 14-items can be separated into two 7-item sub-scales for anxiety and depression. HADS scale was validated in Ethiopia and the internal consistency was 0.78 for the anxiety, 0.76 for depression subscales and 0.87 for the full scale. The scales use a cut -off score for anxiety and depression of greater than or equal to 8 . Felt stigma was assessed by three-item stigma scale which is validated at Zambia and comprised of dichotomous questions in which a positive response is indicative of felt or perceived stigma with an overall possible score ranging from 0 to 3 . Data was collected by three trained diploma psychiatry nurses and one supervisor for a period of one month. Face to face interview was employed using local Amharic language.

    Driving Regulations For Dissociative Seizures

    Driving regulations for the UK are set by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency . You will need to stop driving and tell the DVLA that you have dissociative seizures. You may be able to apply for a new licence once you have been seizure free for three months.

    If seizures are considered likely to happen while driving, a specialist review would also be needed. These regulations are based on the risks of having a seizure while driving.

    Visit for more information.

    Find out more about driving and epilepsy

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    What To Do After Someone Has A Seizure

    Here are things you can do to help someone who is having this type of seizure:Ease the person to the floor.Turn the person gently onto one side. Clear the area around the person of anything hard or sharp. Put something soft and flat, like a folded jacket, under his or her head.Remove eyeglasses.More items

    Who Has Dissociative Seizures

    Living with Epilepsy – Seizures, Doctors & Anxiety

    Dissociative seizures can happen to anyone, at any age, although some factors make dissociative seizures more likely. Dissociative seizures are:

    • more common in women
    • more likely to start in young adults
    • more likely to happen to people who have had an injury or disease or who have had severe emotional upset or stressful life events
    • more common in people with other psychiatric conditions .

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    Anxiety Stress And Seizures Are All Intertwined Says Finlay

    For some, anxiety or depression only started after they were diagnosed. One woman started having anxiety attacks after she was diagnosed, especially after she had a couple of severe seizures which made her feel anxious.

    One man compared the experience of having an anxiety attack to having an aura:Sometimes having an anxiety attack is very similar to having an aura and so I found it very difficult to differentiate between having an anxiety attack and having an aura.One woman said that, when she was diagnosed with epilepsy, her GP had insisted that she was depressed. She herself felt she was just dealing with the blow of being diagnosed, and her life was chaotic for a while. For some, anxiety and stress triggered seizures and trying to manage these factors helped people have fewer seizures. However, some said it was a vicious cycle the more aware they were of anxiety and stress triggering their seizures, the more anxious they got, which made them more likely to have seizures.

    For some, coming to terms with the diagnosis had been really hard and the blow of the diagnosis had made them depressed. Some felt they were prone to getting depression anyway, because of their personality or family history.

    One woman felt depressed before she got the epilepsy diagnosis because she didn’t understand that her strange experiences were actually epileptic seizures. When she got the diagnosis and could understand her experiences better, it helped her depression as well.

    Can Stress Cause Seizures: Causes Symptoms Treatments

    Pseudoseizures are seizure-like episodes that can arise from various psychological conditions. They are also called psychogenic non-epileptic seizures . Mental stress is a psychological illness that may affect people in many ways. Some people may feel nauseous, depressed, and anxious while experiencing stress.

    For the problem can stress cause seizures? the exact answer is Yes! Also, for people with brain disorders, stress-related seizures are a concerning threat. You should know that your mood and thoughts affect your physical well-being as well as your mental well-being. Although seizures can not be completely controlled and avoided, it is still possible to reduce the probability of experiencing one. Epilepsy, along with stress, is a real concern for seizures caused by stress. In this scenario, seizures may be severe, and people should not forget to have their anti-epileptic meditation daily. Missing out on your medication may increase the possibility of a stress-induced seizure.

    In this article, we will be approaching more about stress and seizures. After that, we will explain the symptoms behind pseudoseizures and give you tips and treatments to avoid them.

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