Epilepsy ~ Depression and Anxiety

I thought I would start my sum up of the more information based side of the Epilepsy Action weekend by looking at Depression and Anxiety in Epilepsy.

Up to 40% of people with epilepsy will suffer from either depression or anxiety (or both) which is much higher than in the rest of the population...

So what could the causes be?

• Biological e.g. type of epilepsy, temperal or focal
• Personality
• Social issues e.g. impact on driving, work and family support
• Percieved stigma

I guess if I think about myself I don't think I suffer from depression but I think maybe I do suffer from anxiety to some extent.  I worry a lot and sometimes I can feel myself becoming paniced... but I have found if I just breath and then write a list of all the things I need to do it calms me down. 

I don't tend to panic about having a seizure but sometimes I worry about it, I think there is a slight difference between the two, worry I think you can live with and still function with, panic I think just takes over...