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What Are Pseudoseizures?

Pseudoseizures, or non-epileptic seizures, are a type of seizure that is not related to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Pseudoseizures have an entirely different cause than epileptic seizures as well as different treatment options.

  1. Causes

    • Unlike epileptic seizures, pseudoseizures are caused by severe emotional stress rather than an abnormal chemical activity. This stress typically stems from traumatic events, such as sexual abuse.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of pseudoseizures include uncontrollable jerking of the limbs, confusion, staring spells, and loss of consciousness.

    Misdiagnosis

    • Pseudoseizures have similar symptoms to a grand mal seizure. This can often cause the condition to be misdiagnosed as epilepsy rather than non-epileptic seizures. When a misdiagnosis occurs, the patient usually does not receive the proper treatment, and the seizures do not decrease in severity or frequency.

    Statistics

    • According to the Epilepsy Foundation, 20 percent of patients who are evaluated at epilepsy clinics are experiencing non-epileptic seizures.

    Treatment

    • As pseudoseizures are caused by severe emotional distress, the primary treatment options are therapy, stress management medication, and antidepressants. These techniques help lower the emotional stress of the patient as well as to help him cope with his traumatic experiences.

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