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Do you think prolongued, untreated depression can cause epilepsy?
Mon, 02/15/2010 - 16:32Hi guys. I had my first grand mal about 3 months ago, followed by nothing - until about a week ago, when I had 2 grand mals in my sleep within 24 hours. A diagnosis hasn't really been yet, but the doctor has put me on 800mg of Epilim.
My title might startle you, I have researched a lot about Epilepsy since all this has happened to me and I am very well aware of the fact that they say depression cannot cause epilepsy...but then again, I'm also aware of the fact that this disorder has been around for thousands of years and they basically know next to nothing about it.
I am not here to cry myself a river or to seek sympathy, simply answers. I had a very very tough childhood, basically having to deal with a psychopath of a father who was very mentally, emotionally and physically abusive (mostly to mother the physical part). But you learn to "deal" with things like that, or rather just get on with your life. In fact, I've usually been a very happy and bubbly person which I'm very greatful for because most other people in my situation would probably become very suicidal. For the past couple of years or so however, I have slowly been spiraling down...it started with some horrific bullying in my last years of high school which led me to have no friends and subsequently no self esteem and no social life (especially since my mother was very protective of me and my "education" and never let me go out).
So back to the epilepsy part. In the few months before my first seizure I had been SO stressed and anxious, even more so than normal (this is grossly underexaggerated), mainly due to boyfriend issues, and self esteem issues (I only realise these now mind you). In fact last year I suffered my first anxiety attacks because of fights with my boyfriend and stress from uni.
I am seriously considering the fact that I did this (epilepsy) to myself. This doesn't just happen to normal, healthy people. By normal and healthy I mean I eat well, I don't exercise a lot but I'm not overweight, no history of epilepsy in my family, I hardly drink alcohol at all, I've never taken illicit drugs...I mean I know they call it "idiopathic" epilepsy but that's just because they don't KNOW the cause, doesn't mean there IS NO cause. Right?
Does anyone else feel like excessive stress/anxiety and depression may have caused their epilepsy? Sorry for the long post, I thought I'd give some background info. Please, if anyone can relate, please write to me, maybe we can support each other!
Re: Do you think prolongued, depression can cause epilepsy?
Submitted by phylisfjohnson on Sat, 2010-05-01 - 12:16
All types of abuse — sexual, physical, and emotional (including verbal abuse and witnessing domestic violence) raise the risk of depression, anxiety and epilepsy-like symptoms.
Research featured in Harvard Mental Health Letter and published in The American Journal of Psychiatry looked at the damage that hostile words, and or yelling can have on a child. They found “words are weapons that can cause lasting wounds, especially when wielded by parents against children. The damage is sometimes more serious and lasting than injuries that result from beatings”, say Harvard researchers reporting on a survey of young adults.
Basically, abuse releases a cascade of stress hormones which produces a lasting effect on brain signals. Experiments at McLean Hospital, for example, show that patients with a history of abuse are twice as likely to show abnormal electrical activity as non abused people. And this abnormal electrical brain activity, in turn, resembles a seizure state, but doesn’t actually produce epilepsy.
Hippocampal Sclerosis
This is a very common (but often unknown) feature of temporal lobe epilepsy. Changes in the hippocampus — the part of the brain that deals with stress, learning and memory – can be caused by hormones flooding the brain during and after a stressful episode. But the BIG question is whether hippocampal sclerosis is the consequence of repeated seizures, or whether it plays a role in the development of the epileptic focus?
Seizures that are psychological in origin are often called psychogenic seizures. These seizures are most likely triggered by emotional stress or trauma. Some people with epilepsy have psychogenic seizures in addition to their epileptic seizures. It’s a legitimate seizure and should be treated that way, but it is not caused by a problem in the brain.
It’s important to differentiate a seizure from that of a behavioral disorder, but it’s difficult. Jumpy, have you seen a neurologist yet, because it's important that you get tested for a definitive diagnosis. For a Comprehensive List of GOOD Neurologists, Epileptologists and Neurosurgeons, go to http://my.epilepsy.com/node/985817 These are docs recommended by eforum members of the EFA, based upon positive personal experiences. Good luck! Phylis Feiner Johnson www.epilepsytalk.com
Resources:
http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/1/res/brain.html
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/…/01-brain.html
http://www.lawandpsychiatry.com/html/hippocampus.htm
http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/…ull/122/6/1007
http://www.nospank.net/mkrjee.htm
http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/…es/005135.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/53…ptic-seizures/
All types of abuse — sexual, physical, and emotional (including verbal abuse and witnessing domestic violence) raise the risk of depression, anxiety and epilepsy-like symptoms.
Research featured in Harvard Mental Health Letter and published in The American Journal of Psychiatry looked at the damage that hostile words, and or yelling can have on a child. They found “words are weapons that can cause lasting wounds, especially when wielded by parents against children. The damage is sometimes more serious and lasting than injuries that result from beatings”, say Harvard researchers reporting on a survey of young adults.
Basically, abuse releases a cascade of stress hormones which produces a lasting effect on brain signals. Experiments at McLean Hospital, for example, show that patients with a history of abuse are twice as likely to show abnormal electrical activity as non abused people. And this abnormal electrical brain activity, in turn, resembles a seizure state, but doesn’t actually produce epilepsy.
Hippocampal Sclerosis
This is a very common (but often unknown) feature of temporal lobe epilepsy. Changes in the hippocampus — the part of the brain that deals with stress, learning and memory – can be caused by hormones flooding the brain during and after a stressful episode. But the BIG question is whether hippocampal sclerosis is the consequence of repeated seizures, or whether it plays a role in the development of the epileptic focus?
Seizures that are psychological in origin are often called psychogenic seizures. These seizures are most likely triggered by emotional stress or trauma. Some people with epilepsy have psychogenic seizures in addition to their epileptic seizures. It’s a legitimate seizure and should be treated that way, but it is not caused by a problem in the brain.
It’s important to differentiate a seizure from that of a behavioral disorder, but it’s difficult. Jumpy, have you seen a neurologist yet, because it's important that you get tested for a definitive diagnosis. For a Comprehensive List of GOOD Neurologists, Epileptologists and Neurosurgeons, go to http://my.epilepsy.com/node/985817 These are docs recommended by eforum members of the EFA, based upon positive personal experiences. Good luck! Phylis Feiner Johnson www.epilepsytalk.com
Resources:
http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/1/res/brain.html
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/…/01-brain.html
http://www.lawandpsychiatry.com/html/hippocampus.htm
http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/…ull/122/6/1007
http://www.nospank.net/mkrjee.htm
http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/…es/005135.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/53…ptic-seizures/