Relationship between epileptic seizures and spiritual distress

Abstract

Epilepsy is a chronic disease of the brain characterized by an enduring (i.e., persisting) predisposition to generate seizures, unprovoked by any immediate central nervous system insult, and by the neurobiologic, cognitive, psychological, and social consequences of seizure recurrences. Spiritual distress is defined as "a disruption in the life principle that pervades a person's entire being and that integrates and transcends one's biological and psychological nature.” It is well know that stress, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, sleep deprivation and fatigue are seizure-triggering factors. Some patients with epilepsy also experienced that their epilepsy had a spiritual causes. Based on our observations and the literature data, we think that spiritual distress/causes are a seizure trigger in patients with epilepsy and responsible from seizure in some people.