Common Mental Health Issues Associated With Epilepsy

Epilepsy itself is not a mental health disorder, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t raise someone’s chances for certain mental health issues. Because obviously, as a chronic illness, epilepsy affects most (if not all) aspects of people’s lives.

But despite this fact, I noticed recently that the effects of epilepsy on mental health aren’t nearly as widely discussed as they should be. So I wanted to write this post to shed some light on it.

Starting with the often overlooked link between epilepsy and depression.

Depression And Epilepsy

Major depression is one of the most common mental illnesses associated with epilepsy, and milder cases of depression have also been noted frequently. There are many potential reasons for this (as well as other factors to note), including the following…

Medication -

Most of us already know that for every type of medication, there’s a long list of potential side effects that go along with it. Of course, the same can be said for most anti seizure meds out there.

And it’s no surprise that among these lists… lies feelings of depression and even suicide ideation that many patients struggle with.

The Effects Of Seizures -

Sometimes, the areas of the brain that control things like your mood can be affected by seizures. And in these cases, the seizures themselves can actually cause a shift in mood. Including suddenly feeling angry, anxious, or depressed.

Additionally, just as a job loss, a breakup, or a death in the family can cause depressive episodes… Being diagnosed with epilepsy, struggling with the condition, etc, can be enough to cause depression even if the seizures themselves don’t target that area of the brain.

Which is why the likelihood of someone with epilepsy becoming depressed lowers and rises based on the severity of the case. 

For instance, according to one study, adults who suffer from epilepsy are roughly two times more likely to be depressed versus adults without the condition. But if they have active epilepsy, those chances rise to three times as likely!

Societal Issues -

Although there are many more proven (and theorized) links between epilepsy and depression, I’m only going to discuss one more… The role that various societal issues play in all of this.

Because unfortunately, epilepsy is still misunderstood by a lot of people. And this leads to stigmas and assumptions that often result in people with epilepsy being bullied or ostracized for their condition. Which can obviously cause depression in patients.

Plus, epilepsy can sometimes impact a person's career, relationship, and social prospects. Due to the world not always being accommodating to something that isn’t the norm. And this can lead to depression as well.

Anxiety And Epilepsy 

Anxiety is another mental health issue that many people with epilepsy struggle with. And similarly to with depression, this link can be complex.

Once again, anxiety in people with epilepsy can be caused by anti seizure medication, the seizures themselves, and societal issues. But more often than not, the anxiety is usually brought on by dread related to the diagnosis and/or fear regarding the seizures.

And this isn’t hard to understand, because most people would likely become anxious if they were diagnosed with a life-changing condition. Especially depending on how severe it is, and whether or not their treatment plan works.

Circling back to the epilepsy itself though, certain types of epilepsy can cause anxiety directly by altering the function of various parts of the brain. A good example of this is people who have ‘auras’. Because although they can present in many different ways, a lot of people do report feelings of anxiety and dread leading up to a seizure.

Panic Attacks And Epilepsy

Another thing that I want to discuss within this section is actually a side effect of anxiety… panic attacks! Because panic attacks and epilepsy actually have a notable link as well, one that has affected my daughter personally.

You see, oftentimes panic attacks can closely resemble seizures and vice versa. To the point that both of these things can (and have) been misdiagnosed as the other!

This is obviously a dangerous thing, as it can lead to the patient receiving treatment for the wrong thing. But sometimes the only way to tell the difference is by using an MRI or EEG.

Now, my daughter didn’t suffer from a misdiagnosis. But at one point during her seizure journey, she did begin to have panic attacks when she thought she was about to have a cluster of seizures. And not only was this heartbreaking to witness, but it could’ve been dangerous as well.

Since panic attacks can actually cause an increase of seizures themselves.

Other Mental Health Issues…

In this post I put a lot of focus on mental health issues that are common across the board, and how epilepsy can make those appear or worsen. 

And in a future article, I’d like to talk about some slightly more rare mental illnesses that might coincide with epilepsy. Both ones that are caused by the condition, and ones that for whatever reason, are just more likely to occur if you have epilepsy.

But I still don’t think this article would be complete without listing off a few of these mental health issues. So here they are…

• Delayed development

• Memory impairments

• And unstable moods

Conclusion

Epilepsy is a lot to handle all on its own, but I feel it’s important to bring awareness to the other aspects of health and mental health that it can affect. And my hope is that with this awareness, people with epilepsy will start to feel more understood and less alone in their journey!

Sources

https://www.epilepsy.com/complications-risks/moods-behavior

https://www.epilepsy.com/complications-risks/moods-behavior/anxiety

https://www.epilepsy.com/stories/anxiety-epilepsy

https://www.epilepsy.com/complications-risks/moods-behavior/depression

https://www.epilepsy.com/stories/epilepsy-and-psychological-disorders