Epilepsy Talk
Childhood Abuse and Epilepsy | February 7, 2010
As recently as the 1980s, many doctors and scientists thought that by the time babies were born, the structure of their brains was already genetically determined. However, new research shows evidence of altered brain functioning as a result of early abuse and neglect. These changes are associated with adult anxiety, depression and personality disorders.
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?
NESD — Non Epileptic Seizure Disorder
A non-epileptic seizure is a short burst of activity that changes how you move, think, or feel. It looks like an epileptic seizure but there are no measurable electrical changes in the brain. Not surprisingly, many people have a history of sexual or physical abuse. 75% to 85% are women between the ages of 15 to 35. It’s a serious condition that shouldn’t be ignored. With early diagnosis and treatment, future problems can be averted.
Psychogenic Non Epileptic Seizures
These seizures are caused by psychological trauma or conflict that has a lasting effect on your state of mind. The Epilepsy Foundation explains that sexual or physical abuse is the leading cause of psychogenic seizures, where the abuse occurred during childhood.
A psychogenic seizure can be confused with a grand-mal seizure — with convulsions, falling and shaking. Less often, a psychogenic seizure takes on the form of a complex partial seizure, with a temporary loss of attention. Because of the reasons for these psychogenic seizures, mental health counseling is encouraged. The prognosis is good, with 60 to 70 percent of patients alleviated of seizure symptoms.
“Children love and want to be loved and they very much prefer the joy of accomplishment to the triumph of hateful failure. Do not mistake a child for his symptom.” – Erik Erikson
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/
7 Comments »
Say something? Comments RSS
TrackBack URI
About the author
Hi Phylis, thank you for this important information. The last time I was in the hospital, I was diagnosed with NESD. I have both epilepsy and NESD. I do not know how long I have had it. I was diagnosed when I was 65.
I was not pschycially abused when I was growing up. I was emotionally abused because it was a sin to have epilepsy.
Ruth
Comment by Ruth Brown — February 7, 2010 @ 6:43 am
You weren’t diagnosed until you were 65? Even though you had epilepsy all this time.
In my house it wasn’t a “sin” to have epilepsy (we were Jewish), it just was ignored and denied. Despite me having seizures 4 times a day…almost drowning in the shower…falling down stairs…walking into walls, etc.
And my step-father was a surgeon, my step-mother a shrink!!! Pathetic.
Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — February 7, 2010 @ 6:57 am
Hi Phylis,
You had a tougher time than I did.
By “sin” I meant that it was a bad thing to have. I did not care, I told everyone anyway. I did not stay in the closet like a good girl. The attitude of my mother, sister and brother bothered me. That was where the emotional abuse came in.
Comment by Ruth Brown — February 7, 2010 @ 7:09 am
Hi Phylis,
I have a question. I’m 53 and newly dx w/ ADD. My mom had epilepsy for her whole life, grand mal seizures all the time. She was taking lot of pills for it back in the 60′s which made her tired and very agitated easily. She was extremely abusive with me both verbal and physical throughout my whole childhood usually without a real reason. Used to swing at me and chase me around with a broom sometimes. Usually this would get her excited and she would fall and have a seizure which then was my fault and her side of the family would then also verbally abuse me for being “mean” “hitting” my mother. All I would do is hold up my arms to block her swings. This went on and on. Could this type of abuse cause me to have all this ADD problem in my life. I have had a train wreck with relationships including my current marriage. My self esteem seems to be non-exsistent.
Thanks,
Comment by Don Hasner — July 18, 2010 @ 3:38 am
First, let’s talk about your mother. There’s a likely chance that she had what’s known as “psychotic epilepsy.” There are many ways that epilepsy may be associated with schizophrenia-like psychosis.
It’s likely that structural brain abnormalities underlie both epilepsy and psychosis, and that the seizures appear as a psychotic episode. So, it’s confusing, because often it’s difficult to distinguish between the two.
That being said, your mom was pretty sick, physically and psychologically. And the meds back then were enough to make you crazy even if you weren’t before!
I was diagnosed in 1965 and my choices were phenobarbitol and dialantin. Both were awful. And psychiatric drugs were in their infancy back then too. So who knows what kind of effect the drugs had on her? But either way, it was no picnic for you.
Now, on to you. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, report on Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect: “Outcomes of individual cases vary widely and are affected by a combination of factors, including:
The child’s age and developmental status when the abuse or neglect occurred…
The type of abuse (physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, etc.)…
The frequency, duration, and severity of abuse…
The relationship between the victim and his or her abuser…
Psychological and emotional conditions associated with abuse and neglect include panic disorder, dissociative disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, anger, posttraumatic stress disorder, and reactive attachment disorder.”
http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/long_term_consequences.cfm#psych
So the bad news is that you’ve suffered a lot. The good news is that you don’t have ALL of these problems.
As one who was verbally abused and neglected by a narcissistic mother, I have deep scars, too. They’re just a little bit different — as are we all.
Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — July 18, 2010 @ 4:48 am
I have panic attacks and severe depression. I do not know if it is from childhood or from my medications. Probably my medicines.
When I went to the hospital to have my colonoscopy, they showed me that I do not have epilepsy at all. I do have epilepsy.
Comment by Ruth Brown — July 18, 2010 @ 9:43 am
Ah, but how did they test you for epilepsy? Or did they just do a cursory EEG to cover themselves?
Why would you be having seizures when they took away your meds…then recover once they gave them to you again?
Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — July 18, 2010 @ 8:12 pm