Depression

Everyone feels sad … anxious … or worried… sometimes. All of us have occasional mood swings from happy to sad. These feelings are normal -- except when they happen a lot or when they get in the way of how you want your life to be. When feelings of sadness and changed moods occur often, they make it difficult to function at work, at school, or in relationships. If this is happening to you, you may be dealing with depression, a common form of mood disorder.

It’s important to remember that depression can occur separately from epilepsy. However, it may be related to epilepsy in several ways. Find out more about depression and epilepsy, including seeking medical help, learning about causes and selecting treatment methods.

Mood Disorders

Many people with epilepsy experience disagreeable changes in their emotions, and the link between mood disorders and epilepsy has been observed for more than 2,000 years. While this link has been noticed for many years, the relationship between seizures and mood disorders has not been well understood until recently. Now, although we do not have all the answers, we do know that mood disorders occur more often in people with epilepsy than in the general population. Find out more about mood disorders, including how they affect people with epilepsy, recognizing mood disorders, seeking medical help and treatment.