What is a non-epileptic seizure?
A seizure is a temporary loss of control, that is often but not always, accompanied by convulsions, loss of consciousness or both. An epileptic seizure is caused by a sudden abnormal electrical discharge in the brain. A non-epileptic seizure may resemble a epileptic seizure in outward appearance, but is not accompanied by abnormal electrical discharges or any other underlying physical cause. Non-epileptic seizures are also referred to as non-organic seizures, non-epileptic attack disorder, non-epileptic attacks, non-epileptic events, psychogenic seizure, and pseudoseizures. The term pseudoseizure is particularly misleading, as there is nothing false or fake about a non-epileptic seizure to the person experiencing them. It is common for a person suffering from non-epileptic seizures to be misdiagnosed with epilepsy. Approximately 25% of patients who have a previous diagnosis of epilepsy are found to be misdiagnosed. Non-epileptic seizures are the physical manifestation of a traumatic ps