Seizures are frightening, sometimes surreal, experiences for people who have them -- and for observers.
Perhaps it's because seizures come on unexpectedly or that they produce such unusual symptoms. It's certainly not because they're uncommon. Roughly 1 in 100 people experience recurrent seizures, a condition commonly known as epilepsy, according to a study released in August by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But epilepsy also creates profound social, emotional and occupational difficulties.
Epileptic seizures occur when brain cells misfire, releasing a burst of abnormal electrical activity. The symptoms of a seizure vary depending on the area of the brain where the misfire occurs.
In some cases, they cause involuntary movements, such as jerking of the arms or legs; in others, they cause loss of consciousness, loss of muscle tone, lapse in awareness (or "zoning out") or abrupt emotional changes.
Surprisingly, the physical problems may be among the least troublesome aspects of the disease.
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The fear factor
In a study published in Epilepsy & Behavior in 2000, researchers asked more than 1,000 men and women with epilepsy, "What is the worst thing about having epilepsy?" The leading response was fear.
Some were afraid of dying, some of losing their job, and some of suffering a seizure while driving. Others were simply afraid of having a seizure in public and of the resulting humiliation.
The degree to which epilepsy limits life choices and experiences was the second most-common response to the researchers' question. In most states, including California, people with epilepsy whose seizures aren't well controlled cannot obtain a driver's license.
They're also ineligible for certain jobs -- such as truck driving, air traffic control and piloting -- and face enormous challenges securing jobs in areas such as construction, firefighting and law enforcement.
Further, recurrent seizures often result in depression and may be associated with a number of medical conditions such as obesity and asthma.
According to the CDC survey, people with a history of epilepsy report more than twice as many mentally and physically unhealthy days as those without the disease.
Although aggressive treatment and control of seizures can greatly improve quality of life, people with epilepsy frequently go under-treated.
