Non-Epileptic vs. Epileptic Seizures
These two types of seizures often look the same and they show the same signs and symptoms. It is also true that:
- both of the types start suddenly
- have a minimal amount of warning time
- incorporate a loss in the awareness of the sufferer
- in both cases there is shaking and uncontrollable movements
- self-injury can happen in both cases
- and both are not related to time of the day and can happen anytime
What makes them different is the reason why the person is having seizures.
The epileptic seizures originate from a problem in the brain. Namely there is a disturbance of the electrical activity inside of the brain and this causes the epileptic seizures. Any other seizure which occurs not due to this is no longer considered an epileptic seizure.
Non-Epileptic seizures causes are:
- cataplexy
- various sleep disorders like night terrors
- trauma
- diabetes
- fainting due to low blood pressure
- panic attacks and some other psychiatric conditions like the Munchausen’s syndrome
and many more other causes which are not due to the electrical activity in the brain.