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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

The impact on life in people with dissociative seizures or drug-resistant epilepsy

Camila Wolfzun1,2,3* ,  Mercedes Sarudiansky1,2,3 ,  María Marta Areco Pico1,3 ,  Cristina Tenreyro1,3 ,  Alejandra Lanzillotti1,2,3 ,  Luciana D’Alessio3,4 ,  Guido Pablo Korman1,2,3
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1 Institute of Research, Faculty of Psychology, University of Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
2 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
3 Ramos Mejía Hospital Epilepsy Center, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
4 Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencias, Faculty of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
JCBP, 8112 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcbp.8112
Submitted: 21 December 2024 | Revised: 20 February 2025 | Accepted: 13 March 2025 | Published: 2 April 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the impact on life in people with dissociative seizures (DS) and drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). A qualitative approach was employed using the McGill Illness Narrative Interview, which was conducted and analyzed following thematic analysis principles. Ten women diagnosed with DS or DRE participated, all from underserved sectors in Argentina. Three major themes emerged from the interviews: (1) role of emotions (emotional experiences related to the disease, both preceding the seizure and as a consequence of them). Both groups reported unpleasant emotions as a consequence of seizures, such as fear, shame, and sadness. Emotional states, including stress and anxiety, were also described as seizure triggers in both conditions. (2) Impact on social interaction (the way in which the disease impacted on social relationships). Participants with DS experienced interpersonal conflicts, mistreatment, and disbelief more frequently than those with DRE, who reported a higher perception of overprotection and hesitancy to disclose their condition. Both groups acknowledged the importance of social support from family and friends. (3) Impact on daily life activities (the way in which people discontinued activities due to the disease or continued despite it). Seizures disrupted autonomy, work, and recreational activities, though some participants continued working despite limitations. These findings provide insight into the challenges of living with DS and DRE. A deeper understanding of these experiences can inform targeted interventions to improve the quality of life for these patient populations, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Dissociative seizures
Drug-resistant epilepsy
Impact on life
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures
Quality of life
Funding
This research was supported by UBACyT 20020170100274BA (Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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Journal of Clinical and Basic Psychosomatics, Electronic ISSN: 2972-4414 Print ISSN: 3060-8562, Published by AccScience Publishing
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