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Epilepsy & Stress

Neurons in the brain are constantly sending and receiving electrical messages to each other. When the regular pattern of those messages is disturbed or interrupted, a seizure can follow. Seizures cause the body to jerk, convulse or make seemingly uncontrollable movements, though a seizure can sometimes be exhibited as a blank stare. Epilepsy is a seizure disorder that doctors diagnose after you've had at least two seizures. Stress can often trigger an epileptic seizure, which makes it important for people with epilepsy to keep their stress levels under control.

  1. Epilepsy Symptoms

    • A seizure is the defining symptom of epilepsy. Some seizures begin with a warning, known as an aura. Auras might include nausea, depression, bodily sensations, headaches or even an unusual taste in your mouth. Depending on the type of seizure you get, your muscles may tighten, you might lose total consciousness, blink constantly or jerk your arms and legs. Some people with epilepsy report seeing bright lights or feel tingly during a seizure.

    Diagnosis

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common method for epilepsy testing is the electroencephalogram (EEG). During this procedure, electrodes are placed onto your scalp and the EEG records the electrical activity in your brain. Even if you're not having a seizure, the EEG can still notice electrical abnormalities. In hopes of diagnosing what type of seizures you're having, the doctor may ask you to spend the night in the hospital so you can be monitored while you're having a seizure. This helps the doctor know what part of your brain the seizures are developing in, so that you can receive effective treatment.

    How Stress Affects Epilepsy

    • Whether you're worried about a big exam or having problems at work, the stress of a situation can trigger seizures. Stress may change the electrical activity in the brain, causing a seizure. But it can also make you forget to take your medication. When you're stressed out you may sleep less. These are both contributing factors to increasing numbers of seizures.

    Coping With Stress

    • The best thing you can do is avoid situations that cause you to get stressed out. Of course that's not always possible. Depending on your situation, talking with a therapist may help you better control your emotions, alleviating seizure-causing stress. You may also want to try relaxation techniques like meditation, tai chi or yoga. And always be sure to get enough sleep when you're feeling stressed.

    Epilepsy Treatment

    • Your doctor will most likely recommend medication to control your epileptic seizures. But finding that exact medication along with the perfect dosage, can take some time. Initially your doctor will probably start off with a low dosage of one medication. He may increase the dosage until the seizures begin to decrease in frequency or stop altogether. If there aren't any changes, he might try another medication, or combine two different types of seizure control medications. According to the Mayo Clinic, half of all people who have been recently diagnosed with epilepsy become seizure-free after taking the first medication.

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