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Seizures Caused by Anxiety

Seizures are most often associated with some form of epilepsy. Elements of an epileptic seizure are also seen in extreme attacks of anxiety. Seizures caused by anxiety are thought to have some basis in undiagnosed epilepsy.

  1. Anxiety and Seizures

    • Anxiety is the outward manifestation of internal stress. It generally presents itself as a psychological or biological dysfunction. Anxiety is an instinctive reaction to certain life experiences. It is a healthy response to unknown or concerning occurrences.

      Chronic anxiety is a much deeper disorder characterized by extreme reactions of the body to stress. Individuals with chronic anxdiety may experience one or all of these symptoms: lack of focus, dizziness, muscle weakness, problems with breathing, erratic heartbeat, magnified fear and/or extreme sweating. When these symptoms are strong and prolonged, they can resemble a petit mal seizure.

    Seizures and Auras

    • A seizure is a sudden attack of repetitive and/or convulsive movements. The presence of an attack is central to the future diagnosis of epilepsy. An aura is an unusual sensation caused by overstimulating one or more of the five senses. The aura commonly occurs before the onset of a seizure. Auras are a warning signal to the epileptic that an incident is about to occur. An aura is also typical of seizures caused by anxiety. There is a curious similarity between the aura preceding an epileptic episode and the one that heralds an anxiety attack.

    Simple vs. Complex Seizures

    • The severity of an epileptic seizure determines the category of the episode. For example, a partial seizure could be as simple as an interruption in movement or sensory function. Alternatively, the seizure could be complex and the person could exhibit hallucinations, disconnection from present events and involuntary repetitive actions.

    Generalized Epileptic Seizures

    • There are three categories of generalized seizures: petit mal, grand mal and akinetic. Someone having a petit mal seizure might seem to stare as if in a trance; the person gradually relaxes and has no memory of what happened during the seizure. This type of seizure mimics a symptom attributed to an extreme anxiety attack. Grand mal seizures are much more pronounced: there is strength and energy in the outward appearance of the seizure, in which a muscle rapidly contracts and relaxes; this motion is repetitive with an unpredictable time frame. The akinetic seizure is one that features a sudden head drop motion with a loss of strength in the arms or the legs. The common term for this seizure is the epileptic drop attack.

    Realistic Relationship

    • Extreme anxiety can cause a person to shake or appear to be in shock, which mimics what happens during a seizure. Since anxiety attacks and epileptic seizures appear so similar, it is difficult for a layperson to tell the difference. Similarities between the two types of seizures are pointing medical and psychological professionals toward the belief that seizures caused by anxiety are a reality that might not be coincidental.

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