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  #1  
Old August 7th, 2005, 05:25 PM
Lawrence Teft Lawrence Teft is offline
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Default Sexual Abuse and Nonepileptic Seizures

My wife has non-epileptic seizures as a direct result of childhood sexual abuse. She was horribly abused when very young and had seizures as a defense mechanism. When the abuse stopped for her, so did the seizures. But when she had memories come back she began to have the seizures again due to flashbacks.

The memories automatically trigger the seizure so it is hard for her to work on the memories without having seizures. Does anyone know of any "specific" treatments for these types of seizures? I am looking into EMDR also.

Thanks,

Lawrence
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  #2  
Old October 27th, 2005, 08:01 AM
ceecee ceecee is offline
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Default Re: Sexual Abuse and Nonepileptic Seizures

Hi,
I'm Cindi. I suffer from nonepileptic seizures due to being Hypoglygemic. I just got out of an abusive relationship with a man that enjoys Sadistic and Masacistic sex. I don't enjoy that type of sex. He would ram it in me and hurt me. He kept saying that he was the master and I was to do what he told me to or I'd be beaten. I'm very much traumatized from all of the activity, and been having major flashbacks of when my first step-father used to abuse me physically. When the flashbacks start, I turn to self-abuse. What could I do to prevent the P.T.S.D. from controlling my emotions?
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  #3  
Old October 28th, 2005, 08:46 PM
George Neeson George Neeson is offline
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Lightbulb Re: Sexual Abuse and Nonepileptic Seizures

A notable Canadian neurologist says that almost all "observed seizures" are neurotic in origin. From the perspective of Adlerian psychology, a person in therapy who has (creates) seizures in session, is trying to maintain their life goal. They are clinging to a shock! Somehow, if they should recover they would have to address the life task. Therapy about the abuse is not going to be successful until the teleology of the seizure generation is understood. This person, for reasons that seem completely sensible from the perspective of their "private logic", feels some part of the task of being a fellow man is out of reach. Also watch out for a person who seeks to be pampered as a compensation for their "great suffering". The weapon of the seizures must be ignored if the healing is to proceed. This person is very discouraged in reference to one or more of life's tasks and needs much specific encouragement once the inferiority feeling and fictional goal of superiority has been precisely identified. I am convinced that a complete classical Adlerian therapy could solve this problem.
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  #4  
Old November 10th, 2005, 10:41 PM
Lawrence Teft Lawrence Teft is offline
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Default Re: Sexual Abuse and Nonepileptic Seizures

Quote:
Originally Posted by George Neeson
A notable Canadian neurologist says that almost all "observed seizures" are neurotic in origin. From the perspective of Adlerian psychology, a person in therapy who has (creates) seizures in session, is trying to maintain their life goal.
I would say that this is an outdated and simplistic explanation and doesn't fit with many other researchers opinions. Who is the "noted' Canadian neurologist may I ask? When a person is having flashbacks of terrible abuse that are so real the mind/body reacts with the "protective" response. It is a defense mechanism, not a cry for attention. My wife has NES and has seizures when no one is present almost all of the time. They happen but are not "observed". They "life goal" is the preservation of their life.

Quote:
Therapy about the abuse is not going to be successful until the teleology of the seizure generation is understood. This person, for reasons that seem completely sensible from the perspective of their "private logic", feels some part of the task of being a fellow man is out of reach.
What on earth does this mean. "a fellow man"???? Pleae note that ceecee is a client. How is she, or me for that matter, going to understand that? [/quote]

Quote:
Also watch out for a person who seeks to be pampered as a compensation for their "great suffering".
You are clearly belittling the "suffering" that "this person" is experiencing and automatically assuming they are seeking to be "pampered". Pampered? How about needing help! I'v never understood those who always see NES as a way to get attention, etc. It is an easy out for psychiatrists/neurologists who don't do the hard work to try to help these people who suffered at the hands of child rapists, etc. They don't want pampering, they want someon to care about them and help them recover. We are marginalizing NES sufferers again here.

Quote:
The weapon of the seizures must be ignored if the healing is to proceed.
I would recommend NEVER telling a NES patient that her seizures are a "weapon". That is ridiculous. She is not attacking anyone; she was attacked.

Quote:
This person is very discouraged in reference to one or more of life's tasks and needs much specific encouragement once the inferiority feeling and fictional goal of superiority has been precisely identified. I am convinced that a complete classical Adlerian therapy could solve this problem.
"Fictional goal of superiority"???? What are you saying? I guess Adlerian therapy is you typical Dr. Phil "hey, get off your ass and stop whining" type of therapy. I am now further convinced of the "superiority" that psychologists, neurologists and MD's seem to have so often.

ceecee, you are not a trouble maker or lazy or looking for "pampering". Take good care and listen to your heart and be careful about professionals who use the kind of talk that we see here.

Good luck,

Lawrence
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  #5  
Old December 20th, 2005, 12:09 PM
Charles McNeil Charles McNeil is offline
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Default Re: Sexual Abuse and Nonepileptic Seizures

Hello Dr. Neeson,

I am a newcomer here having registered just last week, and it was my intention to "lurk" for awhile, but something about these posts compelled me to jump into the pool and comment.

First, a little about me: I am a therapist in private practice supported by an "agency" job. I manage an employment counselling service in Ontario. While my background is Jungian, I have always admired Adler and the sort of "no nonsense" approach taken by Adlerian therapists. I attempt to inculcate both Jungian and Adlerian principles into my work. Further, I do not claim to be an expert in either tradition. I do, however, read constantly and feel I have acquired a rudimentary understanding of each theorist's work.

With respect to the current thread (as well as another by the same original poster (OP)) I would comment that "out here" on the "wild west" of our times, we are confronted all the time with persons and circumstances that are hard to validate. I have read the posts here and on the other thread by the same OP.

First, for a "lay person," this individual seems awfully certain with respect to diagnosis. I am almost always suspect when a client tells me "this is how it is." You and I both know that there are many, many potentially causes of psychic phenomena, and that knowlege of past pain does not necessarily point to a cause for this or that observed behaviour. My advice to the gentleman in question would be to have his spouse forge a solid working relationship with a professional.

Second, without imputing poor faith on the part of the OP I would suggest that under the cover of internet anonimity, many positions may be presented by persons who would post. I would be hesitant to draw any firm conclusions (save for one) from the materials placed here by the OP. That one conclusion would be a sense of hostility I get from the postings. For example, it the message is not understood, then the professional must be one of those "Dr. Phil" types, etc, etc.

Further, there seems to be a bit of the "consumer-survivor" attitude expressed in the OPs postings. It is along the lines of "poor you having been beat down so much by the nasty psychologists." I mean it - as a member of many fora, I have learned the general forms taken by those who would post to cause reactions. Personally, I think that this is a bit of a quiet board for that sort of behaviour. (I am reminded of the glory days of the Jung list. Boy! There was some excellent flaming on that one, I can tell you.)

Where is this hostility coming from? Is it even genuine? Does the person have a sad history with counsellors? Is this trolling at its best? We can't really know as we don't have this person in therapy and the door to this person's motivation is forever closed to us.

As for your reply, I doubt if the OP had the FIRST CLUE as to what you were talking about. Grist for his mill, no?

To conclude, why is the OP coming here for psychological advice. This is a public forum, for heaven's sake, not a consulting room. Again, perhaps the spouse should book with a competent professional.

Nice to make your acquaintance.

Cheers

Charles McNeil
London, Canada
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  #6  
Old December 22nd, 2005, 11:19 PM
George Neeson George Neeson is offline
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Default Re: Sexual Abuse and Nonepileptic Seizures

Lawrence perhaps you need to read my post again. I was addressing seizures that are observed. The neurologist I refer to is a professor of neurology at a major Ontario medical school, and is a man of genuine compassion and well known to me as a caring person. Surely you recognize that in your wife or any person with genuine seizure disorder, seizures are most common at night and of course are not observed. I am referring to day time seizures that could have the purpose (teleogical direction) of putting others in the neurotics service as opposed to the tragedy of uncontrolled seizure disorders with the real risk of a fatal and tragic outcome they carry. I see no relationship between sexual abuse and epilepsy except where the abuse has been of such severity that anoxic brain injury has occurred. Perhaps I am a little clearer now.
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Last edited by George Neeson; December 24th, 2005 at 08:15 AM.. Reason: spelling
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  #7  
Old December 23rd, 2005, 03:11 PM
Sharon Hoferer Sharon Hoferer is offline
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Default Re: Sexual Abuse and Nonepileptic Seizures

There is an excellent article on the subject called Nonepileptic Seizures: Reframing the Diagnosis by Thomas, Osorio & Hunter from Perspective in Psychiatric Care, Vol 41, #2 April-June 2005 that deals with this subject. Email me and I will send you a copy of the article. In includes a bibliograpy with additional resources.
Sharon
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  #8  
Old January 15th, 2006, 09:32 PM
Lawrence Teft Lawrence Teft is offline
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Default Re: Sexual Abuse and Nonepileptic Seizures

Quote:
Originally Posted by George Neeson
I see no relationship between sexual abuse and epilepsy except where the abuse has been of such severity that anoxic brain injury has occurred.[/u][/i][/b] Perhaps I am a little clearer now.
Observed seizures can be both Epileptic and Non-epileptic. All the literature shows that. People with Non-epileptic seizures have then when people are not around to observe them, during the day, not always at night.

There is still no clear evidence to me that suggests that there is a absolute difference between Epilepsy and Psychogenic Seizures. I personally beleive ALL seizure disorders of an unknown nature (no physical damage, infections, etc.) are due to traumatic events. If you do any research at all you will see many studies that show sexual abuse and Epilesy connections. They often claim however that if it is "psychological" in nature than it is not Epilepsy. This is riduculous. We don't know the cause of the majority of cases of Epilepsy so how can we say we know that trauma can only cause "Non" Epileptic seizures. Bottom line - Epilepsy is caused by trauma in most cases. And of course even if the neurologists disagree on this, the symptoms (seizures) are identical in their severity.

I have been researching seizures for 15 years. I don't expect those who don't have them themselves or live with someone who does to know much about the "true" nature of them.

Lawrence
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