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Pseudo Seizures??

Hi, I am 21 years old. The other day I was in a severe dissociative state where I left my house and then someone found me on a bench bare and very cold. I couldn’t speak at all( I am a low to non verbal autistic). Usually I can say what I need when not in distress. The people who found me called the police and I ended up in an ambulance a while later.  During transport I had a non epileptic seizure and then the last few days I have been having what I think is stress seizures, however they tend to happen when I am alone.

I get highly anxious whenever I am home alone or alone at night. This morning I have had three non epileptic seizures( me sitting in a chair or in bed or standing with convulsions or my leg will start moving non stop and I can’t control it.  And I twitch a lot). I am getting headaches and my whole body hurts after words.

I have had severe general anxiety my whole life and have been on medication for it. I am taking lexapro plus Ashwaganda to reduce my anxiety to a functioning level. I’m just afraid that I am now having stress seizures when alone. And they tend to happen when alone. I can feel them coming on. I also had four episodes last night too.

So am I truly having pseudo seizures? I am supposed to visit my psychiatrist soon, not sure when though.
1 Responses
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987762 tn?1671273328
Hi butterbeans20,

Technically pseudo seizures are also known as a few alternative names too eg dissociative seizures/non-epileptic attack disorder/non-epileptic seizures/Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures/Psychogenic seizures/Functional seizures....

"What makes dissociative seizures happen?
Dissociative seizures happen for psychological reasons rather than physical ones. Often dissociative seizures are how the brain reacts to thoughts or feelings related to present and past experiences. This is different from epilepsy. Epileptic seizures happen because of abnormal electrical activity in the brain."
https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/diagnosis/dissociative-seizures-non-epileptic-attack-disorder-nead

Being ASD its possible that 'being alone' is a psychological trigger for you and if you can't disconnect with an obsenssional distraction, you become too overwhelmed and you basically shut out the world in order to cope. I would definitely recommend you make contact with your psychiatrist to discuss whats been happening and it would also be a good idea to make sure a family member or carer is also aware of you needing more contact and or coping statergies.

I would also recommend you start wearing a medic alert bracelet of anklet if you don't already.

I hope that helps, wishing you well....JJ
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
Okay thank you, what should I put on the medical bracelet/anklet? And yes I will be discussing these things with my psychiatrist soon.
Something like 'non-verbal Autistic'  or 'low to non verbal Autistic' , your name and 2 of your prefered contact numbers......JJ
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