Hysterical seizures: A sequel to incest during adolescence

Hysterical seizures: A sequel to incest during adolescence

Sexual threat especially incest type of relationships during adolescence can produce hysterical convulsions in the victims, or pseudoseizures. These events might have dissociative or conversion components, or both. Incestuous relationships between father and daughter are seen by the daughter as very threatening, create a stressful situation and as a consequence provoke pseudo-seizures that can easily be mistaken for an epileptic seizure. Five cases of incestuous relations during adolescence are presented with the sequel of seizure disorders, and a case of incestuous molestations, with similar seizure events. The psychodynamics of the individuals and the family dynamics are discussed. This paper is intended to alert physicians to the possibility of hysterical seizures whenever they evaluate a patient with suspected epilepsy. Emphasis is being put on the need for a thorough family evaluation and history including possibility of incest in any case of seizure disorder.

Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health