Treatment - Psychiatric Services
Epilepsy is commonly associated with psychiatric disturbances, particularly depression. Depression should be treated aggressively with psychotherapy and antidepressant medication. Although antidepressants can rarely promote seizures, they should always be taken if depression is present. The only antidepressant medication that should be avoided is Wellbutrin because of its more frequent association with seizures. The most common form of an non-epileptic attack that resembles epilepsy is a psychogenic pseudoseizure. The treatment of psychogenic pseudoseizures does not require antiepileptic medications. Instead, psychotherapy, insight therapy and medications are used. Psychogenic pseudoseizures are rarely life threatening and in most cases patients can be cured. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Erich Conrad, please call the LSU Behavioral Sciences Center, 3450 Chestnut Street, 3rd Floor, New Orleans, LA 70115 at (504) 412-1580.