Glossary
Abdominal breathing
The act of breathing deep into the lungs, flexing the diaphragm through expanding the stomach rather than shallow breathing, flexing the rib cage by expanding the chest. Abdominal breathing can be a healthier and fuller way to ingest oxygen, and is often used as a therapy for hyperventilation, anxiety disorders and stuttering.
Antidepressant drugs
Medication prescribed to alleviate mood or anxiety disorders.
Antiseizure medications (ASMs)
Drugs used to treat or prevent seizures in epilepsy. They are also used to treat certain mental, emotional and pain disorders. Also known as antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) or anticonvulsants.
Anxiety
A state of apprehension, uncertainty, and fear resulting from the anticipation of a threatening event or situation.
Anxiety attack
Often referred to as a panic attack, episode of incredibly intense fear or apprehension that is of sudden onset.
Clinical neuropsychologist
A specialist in the branch of psychology that deals with the relationship between the nervous system and mental functions such as language, memory, and perception. They understand broader aspects of peoples’ problems such as anxiety and depression due to their training in clinical psychology.
Clinical psychologist
A person trained to perform psychological research, testing, and therapy.
Conversion seizures
Another name for non-epileptic attacks.
Convulsion
An abnormal violent and involuntary contraction or series of contractions of the muscles.
Counsellor
A person trained to listen to peoples’ problems and help to find ways of dealing with them.
Depression
An emotional disorder in which people feel a loss of interest and enjoyment in life, and have problems with concentration, sleep patterns, loss of appetite, feelings of extreme sadness, guilt, helplessness and hopelessness, and in severe cases even thoughts of death.
Dissociation
Is a partial or complete disruption of the normal integration of a person’s conscious or psychological functioning (often causing a feeling as if the world around you was not real).
Dissociative seizures
Another name for non-epileptic attacks.
Epilepsy
Various disorders in which attacks are caused by abnormal electrical signals in the central nervous system (brain).
Epilepsy specialist nurse
Provides support and advice for people with epilepsy and related conditions, their families and carers.
Epileptic
Relating to or associated with epilepsy.
Epileptic activity
Abnormal electrical signals in the central nervous system (brain).
Epileptic attack/seizure
Occasionally referred to as a ‘fit’, is an episode of abnormal, excessive electrical activity in the brain that can result in involuntary changes in body movement or function, sensation, awareness, or behaviour.
Epilepsy specialist nurse
Provides support and advice for people with epilepsy and related conditions, their families and carers.
Fatigue
A feeling of physical and/or mental exhaustion.
Functional seizures
Another name for non-epileptic attacks.
Hyperventilation
Is the state of breathing faster and/or deeper than necessary sometimes as a result from a psychological state such as a panic attack. Hyperventilation can but does not necessarily always cause symptoms such as numbness or tingling in the hands, feet and lips, light-headedness, dizziness, headache, chest pain, slurred speech, nervous laughter, and sometimes fainting.
Isolation
The lack of contact with people.
Neurologist
A medical specialist in the branch of medicine dealing with the nervous system and the disorders affecting it.
Neuropsychiatrist
A medical specialist in the study of disorders with both neurological and psychiatric features.
Non-epileptic attacks (NEAs)
Clinical spells that resemble epileptic seizures, but are not due to epilepsy. Unlike epilepsy there is no excessive electrical activity in the brain during an attack, and the symptoms are often related to psychological factors.
Non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD)
A disorder in which people experience non-epileptic attacks.
Non-epileptic events
Another name for non-epileptic attacks.
Non-epileptic seizures
Another name for non-epileptic attacks.
Panic attack
An episode in which adrenalin floods the body, causing people to experience sudden feelings of intense fear and apprehension, and many physical symptoms associated with fear.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
An anxiety disorder that can develop after experiencing a very traumatic event.
Pseudoepileptic seizures
Another name for non-epileptic attacks. This name is now not generally used because it implies that the seizures are an imitation of epilepsy.
Pseudoseizures
Another name for non-epileptic attacks. This name is also not generally used now.
Psychiatrist
A doctor who specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health and emotional problems.
Psychiatry
The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders.
Psychogenic seizures
Another name for non-epileptic attacks.
Psychotherapist
A person trained in working with people with emotional problems to help resolve them.
Psychotherapy
Is a form of talking therapy used by trained psychotherapists to aid a patient in emotional problems and related physical symptoms.
Psychological
Relating to or arising from the mind or emotions.
Relaxation
Is the emotional state of low tension.
Seizure
A sudden attack, spasm, or convulsion.
Self-confidence
The belief in one's self, personal judgment, and ability.
Side effects
Is a harmful and undesired effect resulting from medication.
Self-esteem
Is a term used in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth.
Stigma
A mark of shame or discredit.
Stress
Difficulty that causes worry or emotional and mental tension. Can produce physiological reactions that lead to illness.
Symptoms
Are those that are related to the systemic effects of a disease. They can be noticed by a patient, indicating the presence of disease or abnormality. A symptom is subjective, observed by the patient, and not measured.
Syncope
Medical term for fainting (the commonest cause of transient loss of consciousness), caused by a temporary disruption of the blood supply to the brain.
Talking therapies
Treatment of problems through conversation between patient and therapist.
Therapist
A person skilled in a particular type of therapy.
Trigger
An event that sets other events in motion. An event, situation or emotion that sets off a non-epileptic attack.
Uncontrolled epilepsy
Epileptic seizures that are not stopped completely by anti-epileptic medications.