New Call for Integrated Mental Health Care for Individuals with Epilepsy

Recent research emphasizes the urgent need for a revised approach to mental health care tailored for people living with epilepsy. Studies show that as many as one-third of adults and young individuals with epilepsy also experience mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Traditionally, epilepsy management has primarily focused on controlling seizures, often overlooking the significant psychological and emotional challenges faced by these patients.

Associate Professor Milena Gandy, a clinical psychologist and psychology expert, highlights that mental health conditions like depression and anxiety frequently occur alongside epilepsy due to shared neurobiological pathways and psychosocial factors. In some cases, mood disorders can even precede or be symptoms of seizure activity, complicating diagnosis and treatment.

Living with epilepsy involves various psychosocial burdens, including social stigma, withdrawal, memory concerns, and medication side effects, all of which can severely impact mental well-being. If these mental health issues remain untreated, they may impair disease management and lead to poorer long-term outcomes. Studies point out that anxiety and depression can often have a more profound impact on quality of life than the seizures themselves.

A recent paper published in >Epilepsia consolidates insights from global mental health care models for people with epilepsy, proposing practical strategies adaptable to diverse healthcare settings. The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) has underscored the importance of integrating mental health services into epilepsy care, though implementation has been slow.

Many clinicians hesitate to address mental health concerns due to uncertainty about intervention strategies, which can leave patients to cope alone. Gandy asserts that comprehensive, integrated care should focus on treating the whole person, not just the physical symptoms of epilepsy. Initiatives aimed at fostering this approach are vital, as many patients perceive living with depression as more challenging than managing seizures.

This call to action emphasizes that a combined approach, addressing both neurological and psychological aspects, can improve overall outcomes for those living with epilepsy, fostering better quality of life and more effective long-term disease management.