Epilepsy: do seizures affect the psyche?

The problem of epilepsy today is acute all over the world, this disease is recorded in a fairly large number of both adults and children. This is a special brain damage that does not lead to a change in the psyche, but is the cause of seizures with loss of consciousness, which occur with different frequencies. An epileptic seizure differs from all other seizures in the presence of specific changes in brain activity and the appearance of an aura. Many people treat epilepsy sufferers as mentally ill, which is basically wrong. Let’s talk in more detail about this pathology.

Epilepsy: a special pathology

Often people with epilepsy suffer not only from their illness, but also from the special attitude of those around them. Since 2008, there has been a special “purple day” in support of such patients. It was invented by a girl suffering from this disease, who could hardly bear the attitude of her healthy peers towards her. She decided to prove to the whole world that epilepsy is a specific disease, but the people who suffer from it do not differ in the level of mental development from everyone else and have the right to a decent, completely normal life in society. It has been actively supported by many medical associations and communities of people with epilepsy. Now around the world on March 26, charity auctions and various events are held in support of patients with this pathology. Today, the purple color in medicine is associated with epilepsy, due to its beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system, which reduces anxiety and excitability of neurons. 

Epileptic seizures can be controlled

According to neurologists, epilepsy refers to a chronic pathology of the brain, in which certain areas in the cortex are overly active. The focus of excitation in this area of ​​the brain leads to suppression of activity and the spread of influence on neighboring areas of the nervous tissue. As a result, an epileptic seizure is formed with the development of seizures, loss of consciousness and the patient’s fall. In this pathology, damage to the brain regions is the primary process, but various external or internal adverse influences can provoke an epilepsy attack. These include skull injuries, strokes, infectious and inflammatory processes in the nervous tissue. They can become provocateurs of epileptic seizures, alcohol or nicotine intoxication, a sharp rise in temperature, bright flashes of light or loud sounds. Usually an epileptic seizure is accompanied by seizures with impaired consciousness of the patient, although non-convulsive seizures are also possible . A special characteristic that is inherent in an attack of epilepsy is the appearance of a specific aura (sound, auditory or other sensations) before its onset. The seizure can last up to several minutes. During it, the patient’s consciousness turns off, he does not feel pain and does not remember the events taking place.

A special state of the brain in pathology

Brain changes typical for epilepsy, according to medical statistics, are detected in about 1% of the total population of the planet – this is about 50 million patients of different ages, only a quarter of whom have taken their pathology under control and receive full therapy. But, according to epileptologists (specialists who are specifically dealing with the problem of this disease), in many cases, epilepsy refers to such chronic diseases that can be controlled and brought into permanent remission. At the same time, the brain does not show pathological activity, which allows patients to lead a normal life, create families and give birth to children, work actively and not experience restrictions in their usual life. Modern drugs for control of brain activity in epilepsy today allow to completely stop seizures, are highly effective, and are not toxic. When using them, there is no negative effect on the psyche and emotions of people. Despite the fact that this is a fairly manageable disease today, it is still surrounded by many myths associated with the frightening appearance of patients with an attack for the people around them.    

Psyche and intelligence in patients

Traditionally, the environment ascribes mental disorders to patients with epilepsy, refers them to seriously and mentally ill people. It seems to ordinary people that such seizures simply cannot but affect the way the psyche functions, they should reduce intelligence and mental activity. The manifestations of the disease frighten and repel ordinary citizens. But doctors are absolutely sure that with the development of epilepsy, the psyche is not affected, the intellect does not suffer, moreover, among epileptics there are many people with outstanding abilities and talents.

And although such patients are no more stupid and not more limited than ordinary people, they are forced to hide their diagnoses when entering universities or when applying for a job due to prejudices and misconceptions about such a diagnosis. Many countries with persistent remission of epilepsy allow driving a car with such a diagnosis, as well as any type of activity, including work as a teacher, doctor, actor. But in our country, the diagnosis of epilepsy still places the patient within the framework of severe restrictions.

Seizures in epilepsy

Epileptic seizures can be different, and, accordingly, seizures in this pathology can also have different duration, type and form. Attacks can be either generalized, in the form of tonic or clonic seizures, or localized, in certain muscle groups. In general, epilepsy is a multifaceted and complex disease, and it is not always with it that classical seizures are generally observed with the existing pathological brain activity. There may be their equivalents – freezes, freezes, certain movements that occur during a period of excessive brain activity. This form of pathology is much more difficult to identify, because, unlike seizures, which have vivid signs, such equivalents can be mistaken for “eccentricities” or personality traits.