Psychiatric disorders in people with epilepsy

Psychiatric disorders affect approximately one in three people with epilepsy and can be caused by biological as well as psychosocial factors.² The latter include stigmatization of people with epilepsy, which may result in discrimination or social withdrawal, as well as the major social limitations associated with epilepsy (e.g., the loss of a driving licence).² Together with the unpredictability of seizures, all these factors can result in reduced self-esteem and impact the mental health and the quality of life of people with epilepsy.²

References:

1.Gaitatzis A, Trimble MR, Sander JW. The psychiatric comorbidity of epilepsy. Acta Neurol Scand 2004; 110 (4): 207–220.

2.Mula M, Kanner AM, Jetté N, Sander JW. Psychiatric comorbidities in people with epilepsy. Neurol Clin Pract 2021; 11 (2): e112–e120.