Katie is 22 years old and will graduate from college this spring. She has also had psychogenic non-epileptic seizures for 4 years. She contacted me because she wants to be a voice and advocate for PNES, to help others realize they are not alone and that there is hope, and to make positive strides for
Katie shares her experience of living with psychogenic seizures for 4 years Read More »
In July 2013, we published an article in the Journal Epilepsy and Behavior looking at: Psychological trauma in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: Trauma characteristics and those who develop PTSD. The full article can be found here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1525505013001819). We found that 45 out of 61 (73.8%) patients reported experiencing at least one traumatic event in
I have psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) but was never traumatized: Is this you? Read More »
In June and July of this year I blogged on how poor standard of care is in the US for many patients diagnosed with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. However, this month I am happy to write about a positive experience I had at Overlook Hospital of Summit, New Jersey. In the summer, I blogged about deficient
Creating proper treatment programs for psychogenic non-epileptic seizures in the US Read More »
What unites patients with PNES into a single category? The fact that they have abnormal behaviors and changes in consciousness that resemble an epileptic seizure, but that are in fact non-epileptic as per EEG? However, right about there is where the similarity ends. To bunch all of PNES patients into one bag and hope to
In order for psychotherapy to have any chance of working, the psychologist needs to have targets to work on and goals for change. The most obvious goal for change in PNES is for the behavioral episodes (i.e. non-epileptic seizures) to stop. In reality, there are a number of other important goals in treating PNES but
In December of 2012, the neuropsychology team from the Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group will present some interesting early findings about patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures as compared to patients with epilepsy. The study compared executive functions (planning and organizing, problem solving, attention, working memory, mental flexibility, set shifting) in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES)
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: what is neuropsychology showing us? Read More »
A few months back I wrote on my Navigating Epilepsy Blog about stigma in epilepsy. I’m writing on the same topic with regards to psychogenic non epileptic seizures because non-epileptic patients face this kind of stigma too. What is stigma?? According to www.dictionary.reference.com, it’s “a mark of disgrace; a stain or reproach, as on one’s
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: stigma and strength in numbers Read More »
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of being invited to Colombia with two of my colleagues from the Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group to the XVth National Epilepsy Congress. I was asked to speak about psychogenic non –epileptic seizures and in today’s blog I would like to share the experience with you. The congress was
Talking about Psychogenic Non Epileptic Seizures in Colombia (South America) Read More »
Some think that because psychogenic non epileptic seizures are “psychological” that they somehow have less of an impact on life. But for many who have PNES, it can feel like a prison (see picture of handcuffs). PNES has some very real emotional and physical effects and the potential to affect the finances and independence of
Psychogenic non epileptic seizures (PNES) can disrupt life in a multitude of ways Read More »
Research shows that a very high number of persons with PNES have suffered abuse in the past (see past blog posts). And experiences of abuse go along with distress and fear. So, PNES is commonly seen as fueled by anxiety and fear by clinicians. However, I am sure you have heard of the “fight or
Psychogenic non epileptic seizures and anger: target for treatment Read More »
