Alcohol

IMH3 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:20:57 +0000

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

IMH3 Alcohol Addiction Treatment

At IMH3 Research & Rehabilitation Centre, we recognize the significant influence that alcohol addiction can exert on a person’s life, impacting various aspects such as personal well-being and interpersonal connections. As a leading establishment for alcohol addiction therapy, our commitment lies in assisting individuals in breaking free from the grip of addiction and regaining control over their lives via a thorough and empathetic recovery journey.

The Toll of Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction, also known as alcoholism, is more than just consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. It is a multifaceted illness that can have severe physical and psychological repercussions. Consistent abuse of alcohol can have detrimental effects on the liver, leading to cirrhosis, as well as causing cardiovascular problems and gastrointestinal complications. These damages to the body can significantly reduce life expectancy. Furthermore, prolonged alcohol consumption negatively impacts brain function, resulting in cognitive impairments, emotional instability, and the worsening of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse Treatment

Our alcohol abuse treatment approach combines evidence-based therapies with traditional holistic practices to ensure a comprehensive recovery. The treatment modalities we offer include:

Medical Detoxification: The initial step in our treatment process involves safely managing alcohol withdrawal symptoms under medical supervision. This phase addresses the physical dependencies on alcohol and prepares individuals for further therapeutic interventions.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This form of alcohol therapy assists patients in identifying negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to their alcohol addiction. It aims to replace these patterns with healthier ones.
Group and Family Therapy: Participation in group sessions provides individuals with peer support and shared experiences, which are crucial for recovery. Additionally, family therapy helps mend relationships and establish a supportive home environment.
Holistic Therapies: Our treatment also incorporates holistic practices such as yoga, meditation, and nutritional counseling. These therapies are specifically designed to promote healing of the entire person, addressing the body, mind, and spirit.

Addressing Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal

Withdrawal from alcohol can prove to be a difficult stage in the journey towards recovery. During this phase, individuals may experience a variety of symptoms, ranging from mild anxiety and sleep disturbances to more severe complications like seizures and delirium tremens. To address these challenges, our alcohol detox program is carefully supervised by medical professionals. This program aims to safely and effectively alleviate these symptoms, ensuring a solid groundwork for continued treatment.

Unique Features of Our Alcohol Treatment Program

What sets IMH3 Research & Rehabilitation Centre apart in treating alcohol addiction includes:

Internationally Recognized Therapists: Our team of experts is renowned for their clinical excellence and compassionate approach, offering personalized care that respects each individual’s journey.
Innovative Relapse Prevention Strategies: We equip our clients with robust coping mechanisms to handle triggers and stressors, significantly reducing the likelihood of relapse.
Empowering Patients: We believe in empowering our clients by providing them the tools and knowledge necessary to achieve lasting sobriety and improve their overall quality of life.
Supportive Environment: Our facilities offer a serene and therapeutic environment that fosters healing and growth, encouraging self-reflection and sustained recovery.

Why Choose IMH3 for Alcohol Addiction Treatment?

By choosing IMH3 Research & Rehabilitation Centre, individuals are embarking on a transformative and rejuvenating journey. Our holistic approach not only focuses on the immediate challenges of alcohol withdrawal but also delves into the emotional and psychological aspects that contribute to addiction. We are dedicated to assisting each client throughout their recovery process, offering unwavering support and guidance to help them attain and sustain sobriety.

Conclusion

Rehab for alcoholics at IMH3 is more than just treatment; it’s a journey towards reclaiming a healthier, joyful, and purpose-driven life. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction, reach out to us. Begin your journey to recovery and rediscovery at IMH3 Research & Rehabilitation Centre, where every step towards sobriety is a step towards a brighter future.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact IMH3 Research & Rehabilitation Centre today. Embrace the path to recovery and let us help you find your way back to a life free from alcohol dependency.

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Smoking and Gutkha

IMH3 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:20:39 +0000

Smoking and Gutkha addiction treatment

Nearly all of us have either been offered or tempted to try out smoking. It may be through our friends in school, college, or a workplace colleague. Our minds work in mysterious ways. Sometimes people give in to the inquisitiveness and their curiosity and take a puff. Others abstain from it for their reasons. It starts slowly, like a child curious about a shiny object. One drag becomes two. Some give up after the first cough, and some keep on smoking. Soon, smoking becomes a habit, getting harder to quit.

Tobacco addiction in men has been a severe issue, but sadly, not many people pay the necessary heed to tobacco de-addiction. It is shocking to see the lack of awareness in people. According to a report, 94% of smokers had no intention of quitting tobacco. India has around 27 crore tobacco users. More than 1.2 million people in India die every year due to tobacco use. The number includes smoking-attributable and smokeless tobacco attributable deaths. This means tobacco-related deaths take the lives of around 3500 people each day. This is something to be concerned about.

The use of tobacco in India has risen quite a lot despite the government taking strict measures and placing several checks and barriers. One reason for this is the lack of awareness among the people regarding the health effects of the substance. Tobacco contains nicotine, which is a stimulant. When taken in small doses, this can make you feel more energetic, active and alert. However, nicotine can cause changes in the body and the brain’s chemical composition in the longer run, developing an addiction. Thus, making tobacco addiction treatment necessary.

Effects Of Tobacco Use

Tobacco consumption has many complications. The effect of tobacco on the lungs for men can cause respiratory problems and other difficulties. Tobacco smoke, including second-hand smoke, has over 7000 chemicals, out of which 69 are cancer-causing. Anyone who smokes and uses tobacco is at the risk of developing an addiction. Few people who smoke or use tobacco products are at greater risk of getting addicted than others. Tobacco de-addiction centre point out several factors that influence tobacco use:

Age
Peers
Parents
Genetics
Substance use
Depression and
Mental Illness

Let us bust the myth for once and for all; all tobacco products are harmful. Even the ones that claim they are made from herbal products or vapes are harmful. Tobacco addiction treatment is necessary; some of the effects of tobacco are –

Cardiovascular problems
Blood Circulatory Problems
Lung Cancer
Lung Diseases
Other Cancers – oral cancer, throat cancer, kidneys, cervix
Insulin resistance causing Diabetes
Kidney problems
Eye problems
Impotence and Infertility
Tooth and gum diseases
Cold, flu and other illnesses

Second hand or third-hand smoke is also very harmful to people. Children whose parents are smokers also can develop diseases like ear infections, asthma, bronchitis, and colds. Thus, resorting to the best tobacco addiction treatment centre is the only option for helping people addicted to it.

Explore the facilities at our rehabilitation centre and decide if it’s a suitable place to begin your treatment of smoking addiction recovery.

Green surroundings: Our rehabilitation centre is surrounded by beautiful greenery. Patients can connect with nature, as man and nature go hand in hand. The patients are also encouraged to take care of the greenery around them at IMH3.
Clean and comfortable space: The cleaning staff keeps the center dirt free and hygiene is our utmost priority. The authorities ensure all the time that the patients are comfortable.
Constant care: Patients at IMH3 are given constant care and attention. Nurses are present round the clock to look after the needs of the patients. doctors visit on regular basis for checkups and minutely analyses the symptoms and ensure that the patients get effective treatment.
Security and surveillance: The environment at IMH3 is safe and secure. Every nook and corner of the rehabilitation centre has CCTV surveillance. Outsiders are not allowed inside the premises, and patients records are not accessible by third parties as it is kept confidential.

Get In Touch With The Best Rehab In The Country

Addiction to tobacco products is hard to quit, but it’s not impossible. If you are tired of nicotine patches and other methods, give us a call to become successful at quitting tobacco product addiction.

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Shopping

IMH3 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:20:20 +0000

shopping addiction treatment

Shopping addiction is a behavioral addiction that involves compulsive buying as a way to feel good and avoid negative feelings, such as anxiety and depression. Like other behavioral addictions, shopping addiction can take over as a preoccupation that leads to problems in other areas of your life.

Oniomania (compulsive shopping, or what’s more commonly referred to as shopping addiction) is perhaps the most socially acceptable addiction. Think about it: We are surrounded by advertising that tells us that buying will make us happy.

We are encouraged by politicians to spend as a way of boosting the economy. And, for some of us, there is an allure of wanting what everyone else seems to have. Consumerism, by our own intentions or not (or some combination), has become a measure of social worth.

Signs of Shopping Addiction

Signs that a person might have a shopping addiction include:

Always thinking about things they plan to purchase
Being unable to stop their compulsive shopping
Experiencing a rush of euphoria after buying something
Feeling regret or guilt about things they have purchased
Financial problems or an inability to pay off debts
Lying about things they have bought or hiding their purchases
Opening new credit cards without paying off balances on existing cards
Purchasing things they don’t need
Shopping when they are stressed or sad

People who struggle with shopping addiction typically spend more time and money on shopping than they can afford, and many get into financial problems as a result of their overspending.

Items purchased during a compulsive shopping spree are often hoarded unused, and compulsive shoppers begin to plan their next spending spree. Most shop alone, although some shop with others who enjoy it. Generally, shopping with people who don’t share this type of enthusiasm for shopping will lead to embarrassment.

Causes of Shopping Addiction

The exact causes of shopping addiction on not entirely clear, but several factors may play a role

Other Mental Health Conditions

Usually beginning in one’s late teens and early adulthood, shopping addiction often co-occurs with other disorders, including mood and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, eating disorders, other impulse control disorders, and personality disorders.

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Games

IMH3 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:20:02 +0000

Gaming Addiction Treatment

Video game addiction is the compulsive or uncontrolled use of video games, in a way that causes problems in other areas of the person’s life.

Often considered a form of computer addiction or internet addiction, video game addiction has been an increasing concern for parents as video games have become more commonplace and are often targeted at children

Signs of Video Game Addiction

Some symptoms of video game addiction can include:

Neglecting duties at work, home, or school in order to play video games
Thinking about video games all the time
Not being able to decrease playing time even when you try
Continuing to play despite the problems video games cause in your life
Playing video games to deal with anxiety, bad moods, or negative feelings
Feeling upset if you are not able to game
Not doing other things you used to enjoy in order to play video games
Hiding how much time you spend playing video games or lying about your gaming habits

Playing video games a lot is not necessarily a sign of a video game addiction, however. Some people are simply very enthusiastic about them and that is how they enjoy spending their free time. If gaming creates distress and interferes with a person’s ability to function in their life, then it might be a sign that there is a problem.

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Screen/ Mobile and Internet

IMH3 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:19:44 +0000

Smartphone and Internet Addiction Treatment

While a smartphone, tablet, or computer can be a hugely productive tool, compulsive use of these devices can interfere with work, school, and relationships. When you spend more time on social media or playing games than you do interacting with real people, or you can’t stop yourself from repeatedly checking texts, emails, or apps—even when it has negative consequences in your life—it may be time to reassess your technology use.

Smartphone addiction, sometimes colloquially known as “nomophobia” (fear of being without a mobile phone), is often fueled by an internet overuse problem or internet addiction disorder. After all, it’s rarely the phone or tablet itself that creates the compulsion, but rather the games, apps, and online worlds it connects us to

Causes and effects of smartphone and internet addiction

While you can experience impulse-control problems with a laptop or desktop computer, the size and convenience of smartphones and tablets means that we can take them just about anywhere and gratify our compulsions at any time. In fact, most of us are rarely ever more than five feet from our smartphones. Like the use of drugs and alcohol, they can trigger the release of the brain chemical dopamine and alter your mood. You can also rapidly build up tolerance so that it takes more and more time in front of these screens to derive the same pleasurable reward.

Heavy smartphone use can often be symptomatic of other underlying problems, such as stress, anxiety, depression, or loneliness. At the same time, it can also exacerbate these problems. If you use your smartphone as a “security blanket” to relieve feelings of anxiety, loneliness, or awkwardness in social situations, for example, you’ll succeed only in cutting yourself off further from people around you. Staring at your phone will deny you the face-to-face interactions that can help to meaningfully connect you to others, alleviate anxiety, and boost your mood. In other words, the remedy you’re choosing for your anxiety (engaging with your smartphone), is actually making your anxiety worse.

Smartphone or internet addiction can also negatively impact your life by:

Increasing loneliness and depression. While it may seem that losing yourself online will temporarily make feelings such as loneliness, depression, and boredom evaporate into thin air, it can actually make you feel even worse. A 2014 study found a correlation between high social media usage and depression and anxiety. Users, especially teens, tend to compare themselves unfavorably with their peers on social media, promoting feelings of loneliness and depression.

Fueling anxiety. One researcher found that the mere presence of a phone in a work place tends to make people more anxious and perform poorly on given tasks. The heavier a person’s phone use, the greater the anxiety they experienced.

Increasing stress. Using a smartphone for work often means work bleeds into your home and personal life. You feel the pressure to always be on, never out of touch from work. This need to continually check and respond to email can contribute to higher stress levels and even burnout.

Exacerbating attention deficit disorders. The constant stream of messages and information from a smartphone can overwhelm the brain and make it impossible to focus attention on any one thing for more than a few minutes without feeling compelled to move on to something else.

Diminishing your ability to concentrate and think deeply or creatively. The persistent buzz, ping or beep of your smartphone can distract you from important tasks, slow your work, and interrupt those quiet moments that are so crucial to creativity and problem solving. Instead of ever being alone with our thoughts, we’re now always online and connected.

Disturbing your sleep. Excessive smartphone use can disrupt your sleep, which can have a serious impact on your overall mental health. It can impact your memory, affect your ability to think clearly, and reduce your cognitive and learning skills.

Encouraging self-absorption. A UK study found that people who spend a lot of time on social media are more likely to display negative personality traits such as narcissism. Snapping endless selfies, posting all your thoughts or details about your life can create an unhealthy self-centeredness, distancing you from real-life relationships and making it harder to cope with stress.

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Pornography

IMH3 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:19:27 +0000

What is Pornography Addiction

While routinely viewing pornography may be beneficial for self-exploration, sexual education, and even improving relations with your partner, making a habit of this practice—to the extent where pornography affects your daily life—could be problematic for your well-being. Studies estimate that between 86% and 96% of men regularly consume porn. Women consume only slightly less pornographic content

If you’re addicted to porn, you can be so overtaken by the need to consume porn that you may begin to watch it in public spaces like at work or on public transit.

Statistics on porn addiction vary by source, but one study estimated that porn addiction affects approximately 3 to 6% of adults. It is viewed more by young adults, with men viewing it more frequently than women. Use tends to decline with age

What causes it?

It’s hard to say why viewing porn can sometimes escalate into an out-of-control behavior.

You may start looking at porn because you like it, and watching it doesn’t seem to be a problem.

You may enjoy the rush it gives you and find yourself wanting that rush more often.

By then, it may not matter that these viewing habits are causing a problem or that you feel bad about it later. It’s that in-the-moment high you can’t resist.

If you try to stop, you may find that you simply can’t do it. That’s how behavioral addictions sneak up on people.

What treatment options are available?

If you can, consider seeing a therapist to discuss your concerns. They can come up with an individualized treatment plan to help you work through them.

Therapy

If you believe you have a compulsion or addiction, it’s worth seeing a mental health professional for evaluation. This may be especially helpful if you also have anxiety, signs of depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Depending on how porn is impacting your life, your therapist may recommend individual, group, or family counseling.

Be wary of therapists who claim to “specialize” in diagnosis and treatment of pornography. It’s difficult to “specialize” in a disorder that lacks a professionally agreed upon definition or uniformly outlined diagnostic criteria.

Counseling sessions will help you understand what caused the compulsion in the first place. Your therapist can help you develop effective coping mechanisms to change your relationship with pornographic materials.

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Masturbation

IMH3 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:19:11 +0000

Masturbation

Masturbation is a normal, healthy part of your sexual development. It involves the use of your hands, fingers, sex toys or other objects to stimulate your genitals and other sensitive areas of your body for sexual pleasure. Masturbation has many documented health benefits. It may reduce stress, improve sleep and ease pain, among other benefits

What is masturbation?

Masturbation is the self-stimulation of your genitals or other sensitive areas of your body for sexual arousal or pleasure. It’s a common behavior among people of all sexes, genders and ages. Masturbation plays an important role in healthy sexual development. It’s a normal, natural way to explore your body, feel pleasure and reach the point of sexual release (orgasm).

Masturbation may involve the use of your hands, fingers, sex toys or other objects. You may touch, press, rub or massage your genitals. You may insert your fingers or a sex toy such as a vibrator into your vagina or anus. You may also use a sex toy or another object such as a pillow to stimulate your penis, vulva or clitoris.

You may also find pleasure in touching, pinching or rubbing other erogenous zones such as your nipples or testicles. You may find the use of a lubricant helps reduce friction while manually stimulating yourself. You may enjoy reading or watching explicit material or thinking about sexual fantasies during masturbation, which can often lead to orgasm. Different people masturbate in different ways. It’s a personal decision, and there are many ways to do it.

Masturbation may be a solo act or it may involve a partner. In addition, it’s normal to masturbate whether you’re sexually active with other people or not. You may think masturbation is only something you do if you’re single. But both single people and people in sexual relationships masturbate.

What are the benefits of masturbation?

Masturbation is good for you. It has many physical and mental health benefits. Studies have shown that masturbation may:

Reduce stress.
Relieve tension.
Improve sleep.
Increase your focus.
Boost your mood.
Alleviate aches and pain.
Enhance your sex life.
Prevent anxiety and depression.

Male masturbation

Studies of male masturbation have shown it’s healthy to masturbate and even beneficial for long-term health. One study suggested that people assigned male at birth (AMAB) who ejaculate frequently may have a lower risk of prostate cancer. Ejaculating often may prevent the buildup of cancer-causing agents in your prostate gland.

Female masturbation

Female masturbation has many other proven benefits. People assigned female at birth (AFAB) who masturbate are more likely to have an orgasm during sexual relationships with their partners. Female masturbation can also help provide relief for menstrual cramps. In older people, masturbation may lead to less vaginal dryness and decreased pain during sexual intercourse.

According to one study of married people AFAB, those who masturbated reported:

More orgasms.
Higher self-esteem.
Increased sexual desire (libido).
Greater satisfaction with their marriage and sex life.

What are the side effects of masturbation?

Masturbation doesn’t have any serious side effects. There are many myths about masturbation, but research hasn’t proven any of them to be true. Masturbation doesn’t cause:

Vision loss.
Hairy palms.
Mental illness.
Shrinkage or curvature of your penis.
Decreased sperm count.
Erectile dysfunction.
Lowered libido.
Infertility.

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Sex

IMH3 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:18:56 +0000

Sex Addiction, Hypersexuality and Compulsive Sexual Behavior

Sex addiction refers to excessive sexual thoughts, desires, urges or behaviors that can’t be controlled and cause distress and harm to your relationships, finances and other aspects of your life. Sexual addiction is also called hypersexuality, compulsive sexual behavior and other names. Treatments include medications, psychotherapy and self-help support groups.

What is sexual addiction?

Sexual addiction is an intense focus on sexual fantasies, urges or activities that can’t be controlled and cause distress or harm your health, relationships, career or other aspects of your life. Sexual addiction is the most commonly used lay term. You may hear healthcare professionals call this compulsive sexual behavior, problematic sexual behavior, hypersexuality, hypersexuality disorder, sexual compulsivity or sexual impulsivity.

Although sex addiction involves activities that can be common to a sex life — such as masturbation, pornography, phone sex, cybersex, multiple partners and more — it’s when your sexual thoughts and activities consume your life that you may be considered to have a sexual addiction.

Is a sex addiction similar to other addictions?

Yes. The “addiction feeling” is what makes it similar. The craving for sex is similar to cravings felt for alcohol or drugs by those who have addictions to these substances. It’s an overwhelming compulsion or temptation that’s so strong you feel that you have to have it. It’s an out-of-control feeling, never feeling satisfied feeling or a constant battle to take control of something that’s on autopilot. You return to the behavior — over and over again — despite the negative consequences.

How common is sexual addiction and who is most affected?

Hypersexuality appears to affect about 3% to 10% of the general U.S. population. It’s more common in men than women. For every two to five males with hypersexuality, one woman is affected. Sexual addiction begins, on average, at 18 years of age. Most individuals don’t reach out for professional help until age 37.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the signs and symptoms of sexual addiction or hypersexuality?

Although there’s no established criteria for hypersexuality, traits that are commonly seen in a hypersexual person or sexual addict include:

You’re obsessed with sex. You spend a lot of time fantasizing about your sexual urges and engaging in sexual behavior.
You masturbate often (once to several times daily).
You frequently view pornography. Sources include videos, adult magazines, the internet (websites, webcams). You often masturbate while viewing pornography.
You spend an excessive amount of time planning sexual activity. You spend a lot of time figuring out where and how you’ll get your next sexual “high.”
You frequently use sexual services. This is a step up, in that your activities now involve human interaction. Behaviors could include phone sex, connections made through internet chat rooms, paying for sexual encounters, visits to strip clubs, having multiple partners or frequent one-night stands.
Your behavior escalates to reckless sexual activity. You may add substance abuse to your sexual activity or add sexual aggression or dangerous sexual activity (such as autoerotic asphyxiation) to your behaviors.
You engage in sexual behaviors that go against your personal values, religious beliefs or what society deems appropriate.
You frequently engage in paraphilia. These are sexual behaviors that involve another person’s psychological distress, injury or death. Examples include exhibitionism (exposing genitals to strangers), voyeurism (watching or engaging in sexual activities with others), sadomasochism (sexual pleasure from inflicting pain or humiliation on others) and pedophilia (sexual feelings toward children).
You can’t stop your sexual behavior despite negative consequences to your finances, relationships, health or emotions.

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Self Harm and Suicidal Tendency

IMH3 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:15:41 +0000

Self Harm and Suicidal Tendency

Self-harm is when you injure yourself on purpose. Also known as nonsuicidal self-injury disorder, people who self-harm do things to hurt themselves but don’t want to cause death. They may injure themselves:

To help them cope. Some people self-harm because it feels good to them, to prove they can tolerate pain or to relieve negative feelings.
To direct emotion inward. Some people self-harm to punish or take out their anger on themselves.
To communicate with others that they’re in distress or need support.

How do people with this disorder harm themselves?

Self-harm can take many forms. Some are more common than others, but all come with risks. Some of the most common self-harm behaviors include:

Cutting with sharp objects to break through or injure skin.
Burning with something hot like cigarettes, matches or heated sharp objects, or with chemicals like household cleaning products.
Hitting with solid objects — like punching a wall — which can lead to impact injuries.
Scratching/rubbing that leads to skin damage.

What are the symptoms of nonsuicidal self-injury?

If you self-harm, you may try to hide it from those around you. You might wear long sleeves or pants to cover up, even if it’s hot outside. Or you might tell stories to explain your injuries as an accident. Even so, other people might notice the following symptoms of self-injury:

Scabs or scars in a particular shape or cluster.
Multiple burns in the same size or shape.
Frequent accidents that lead to new scratches, bite marks, bruising or swelling.
Issues with impulse control, like they just can’t stop scratching an area of skin.

What causes someone to self-harm?

It’s hard to say exactly what causes a person to self-harm. But certain mental health conditions are linked to self-injury, including:

Anxiety.
Autism.
Bipolar disorder.
Borderline personality disorder.
Depression.
Eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa.
Gender dysphoria.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Sleep disorders

How is it diagnosed?

Nonsuicidal self-injury disorder can be difficult to diagnose. People who self-harm tend to hide their injuries and avoid talking about them.

Healthcare providers don’t use a specific test to diagnose self-harm. Instead, they inspect your injuries, looking for patterns and scars from previous self-harm. They ask questions about your medical and social history. They also talk with you about what’s going on in your life. They look for things that might add stress, like financial problems, a recent death in the family, trouble at school, bullying or a break-up.

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Seizures and Epilepsy

IMH3 — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:15:24 +0000

Seizures and Epilepsy

Epilepsy — also known as a seizure disorder — is a brain condition that causes recurring seizures. There are many types of epilepsy. In some people, the cause can be identified. In others, the cause is not known.

Epilepsy is common. It’s estimated that 1.2% of people in the United States have active epilepsy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Epilepsy affects people of all genders, races, ethnic backgrounds and ages.

Seizure symptoms can vary widely. Some people may lose awareness during a seizure while others don’t. Some people stare blankly for a few seconds during a seizure. Others may repeatedly twitch their arms or legs, movements known as convulsions.

Having a single seizure doesn’t mean you have epilepsy. Epilepsy is diagnosed if you’ve had at least two unprovoked seizures at least 24 hours apart. Unprovoked seizures don’t have a clear cause.

Treatment with medicines or sometimes surgery can control seizures for most people with epilepsy. Some people require lifelong treatment. For others, seizures go away. Some children with epilepsy may outgrow the condition with age.

What are seizure triggers?

Seizure triggers are events or something that happens before the start of your seizure.

Commonly reported seizure triggers include:

Stress.
Sleep issues such as not sleeping well, not getting enough sleep, being overtired, disrupted sleep and sleep disorders like sleep apnea.
Alcohol use, alcohol withdrawal, recreational drug use.
Hormonal changes or menstrual hormonal changes.
Illness, fever.
Flashing lights or patterns.
Not eating healthy, balanced meals or drinking enough fluids; vitamin and mineral deficiencies, skipping meals.
Physical overexertion.
Specific foods (caffeine is a common trigger).
Dehydration.
Certain times of the day or night.
Use of certain medications. Diphenhydramine, an ingredient in cold, allergy and sleep over-the-counter products, is a reported trigger.
Missed anti-seizure medication doses.

What are the signs and symptoms of epileptic seizures?

The main symptom of epilepsy is recurring seizures. Your symptoms, however, vary depending on the type of seizure you have.

Seizure signs and symptoms include:

Temporary loss of awareness or consciousness.
Uncontrolled muscle movements, muscle jerking, loss of muscle tone.
Blank stare or “staring into space” look.
Temporary confusion, slowed thinking, problems with talking and understanding.
Changes in hearing, vision, taste, smell, feelings of numbness or tingling.
Problems talking or understanding.
Upset stomach, waves of heat or cold, goosebumps.
Lip-smacking, chewing motion, rubbing hands, finger motions.
Psychic symptoms, including fear, dread, anxiety or déjà vu.
Faster heart rate and/or breathing.

How is epilepsy diagnosed?

Technically, if you experience two or more seizures that weren’t caused by a known medical condition — for example, from alcohol withdrawal or low blood sugar — you’re considered to have epilepsy. Before making a diagnosis, your healthcare provider (or epilepsy specialist) will perform a physical exam, take your medical history and may order blood work (to rule out other causes). They may ask about your symptoms during the seizure and conduct other tests, as well.

Your healthcare provider will ask you or your family member (who’s witnessed your seizure) if you experienced any of the following during a seizure:

Muscle jerks.
Muscle stiffness.
Loss of bowel or bladder control (you peed or pooped during the seizure).
Change in breathing.
Skin color turned pale.
Had a blank stare.
Lost consciousness.
Had problems talking or understanding what was said to you.

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