Is Epilepsy a Mental Disorder?
Epilepsy is not a mental disorder. Indeed, several decades ago there was a belief that epilepsy treatment is the prerogative of psychiatrists. And even earlier there was an opinion that epilepsy is one of the forms of insanity. Patients who had such kind of seizures were placed in hospitals for the insane and isolated from the community. In addition, there was a widespread opinion that such people should not marry and bear children.
There are different forms of epilepsy. In the majority of cases, they are hereditary. Most people who suffer from this disease have no diagnosis – dementia or lack of intelligence. Epilepsy does not prevent them from leading a full-fledged life.
In those cases when the patient does have mental retardation, this disorder is most often combined with other dysfunctions, for example, a serious brain disease.
Now it is absolutely confirmed that this disease is not mental, and people suffering from epilepsy should visit a neurologist or epileptologist for getting a professional assistance.
Can Epilepsy Appear in Adults?
Epilepsy can appear at any age, but in 70% of cases, for the first time, the disease is diagnosed in children or adolescents. In addition, the disease often affects older people. The causes of epilepsy can be very different:
- the transferred infections;
- neurological diseases, for example, strokes.
Can Epilepsy Be Cured?
Many believe that people who have epilepsy diagnosed are doomed to lifelong suffering. It’s not like that at all. Currently, about 70% of cases of epilepsy can be treated and in many cases, it is possible to achieve remission. For example, the best Canadian Pharmacy offers its customers a wide range of medications devoted to reducing or even eliminating the symptoms. The life with such medications may become brighter.
Important in this case is the patient’s adherence to treatment, that is, the timely reception of prescribed medications and the absence of violations of the regime (for example, all these medications cannot be mixed with alcohol).
There is a widespread misconception that taking antiepileptic drugs is accompanied by a number of serious complications and therefore people are cautious about these medications. Of course, these medicines are quite serious and are taken only with the doctor’s prescription and under his control, however, it is not necessary to refuse their admission – the consequences of seizures are much more dangerous for the organism. The intake of any prescribed drug begins with a minimal dose, gradually increasing it to the one that is appropriate for each individual patient.
What Factors Can Provoke an Epileptic Attack?
There are many factors that can provoke epileptic attacks. Among them, there are:
- flickering light;
- violation of the daily routine (lack of sleep, change of time zones);
- improper nutrition;
- stress;
- alcohol consumption;
- drugs abuse;
- some medications’ application.
Epilepsy requires having enough serious self-control. Fortunately, you can cope with or avoid the majority of factors provoking the attack’ appearance.
An epileptic attack is not always characterized by convulsions and loss of consciousness. Many are convinced that seizures pass through the only possible scenario – a person loses consciousness, beats in convulsions, foam appears around the mouth. It’s not like that at all.
Attacks can be provoked by any sudden events that occur with a person. His task, in this case, is to consult a doctor, and the doctor’s task is to qualify the provoking factor. That is, the doctor must recognize what happened.
How to Help a Person with Epileptic Seizures?
If a person has a most famous type of epileptic attack – with falls, convulsions and loss of consciousness, sometimes – with biting of the tongue, foam from the mouth, the most important thing, in this case, is not to harm. You need to put a person on a side, put a soft object under his head (clothes or a bag, for example) and record the time. It’s strictly forbidden to insert something into the mouth, unclench the teeth, restrain and lean on a person, pour the water on him. Seizures usually begin and disappear by themselves. The mind after the attack can be confused. Sometimes you need to call an ambulance, especially if the attack lasts – more than a few minutes. However, if the above described seizures occur without falls, then it’s enough to just stay close to a person, to observe that he does not get into a traumatic situation. Read about different types of epileptic seizures here.