Depression in Epilepsy
Some important facts:
• About half of all epilepsy patients are troubled by depression or anxiety.
• Suicide has been reported to be 5 times higher in epilepsy than in the general population.
• More women than men have depression (about 2 women to every man).
• There are now many treatment options for emotional problems and it is reported that about 80% of those who are treated, improve.
What are the signs of depression to look out for?
• Feeling blue most of the time
• Becoming much less interested in activities that you once enjoyed
• An notable change in weight in a month (not because of dieting)
• Sleeping too much or not being able to sleep
• Feeling very tired
• Feeling sluggish or too active and fidgety
• Feeling guilty for all sorts of random reasons
• Feeling like you are “less than” most other people
• Having trouble concentrating
• Having suicidal thoughts
What to do about it?
If you recognize any of these signs in yourself or in someone you know, you should discuss it with your doctor or nurse. Your doctor may decide that you need to be referred to a specialist (either a psychiatrist and/or psychologist) to talk about this a bit more and to possibly tstart treatment. As for suicidal thoughts, this represents a psychiatric emergency and you should seek professional help right away.