Teenagers who have epilepsy often face a double whammy because along with the seizure disorder, they’re much more prone to depression and other psychiatric problems.
In fact, up to 60 percent of all teens with epilepsy will experience depression or another psychiatric illness, according to a new study in the March issue of the journal Neurology.
What’s worse, only about 33 percent of those teens will receive treatment, according to the study. That lack of treatment may put teens with epilepsy at a higher risk for suic ide as well. The study reported that up to 30 percent of people with epilepsy had attempted suic ide, compared to about 7 percent of people without the disorder.
“Kids with epilepsy are sort of hit twice,” said Dr. Sigita Plioplys, a pediatric neuropsychiatrist in the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. “There’s an enormous stigma associated with epilepsy, and they may feel ashamed or burdened by having epilepsy. And mental disorders also have a profound stigma attached to them. Many kids will tend to minimize their depressive symptoms until they can’t function any more.”