Obsessions, Compulsions & Disorders

Living With Epilepsy
The last stage is the transition from the attack to the person’s normal state. Referred to as “post-ictal period”, it is the brain’s recovery period, lasting from minutes to even hours. Some of the post-ictal symptoms are memory loss, confusion, fear, depression, writing difficulty, bruising, headache, nausea, thirst, weakness, exhaustion, talking difficulty and pain. This is the main reason why some people exhibit difficulty with memory and intellectual functions after the attack. Unfortunately, these symptoms are wrongly being associated with delinquent or abnormal behavior, leading to the wrong notion that people with epilepsy are crazy and violent.

In case of seizures, one must stay calm and let the person with epilepsy lie down on a soft surface. Place a pillow or a soft object under the person’s head. Loosen any tight clothing and remove the eyeglasses and backpack. Move sharp objects away from the person. Don’t stop or restrain the person; instead, stay with him or her. Never put any kind of object into the person’s mouth. After the seizure attack, talk to the person in a calm and reassuring way. There is no need to call 911 unless there’s an injury or if the person has other complicated medical conditions.