How it can feel
- Shaking, thrashing or stiffening that you cannot stop.
- Falling still and unresponsive, sometimes for minutes.
- Staring episodes or “gone” moments.
- Partial awareness — hearing voices but unable to respond.
- A warning wave for some people; sudden onset for others.
- Deep exhaustion, fog and emotion afterwards.
Day to day
- Fear of public episodes can shrink social life and independence.
- Work, driving and school rules may change depending on pattern and clinical advice.
- Witnesses may panic; a simple plan helps more than a long lecture mid-episode.
Why this can be FND (simply)
These episodes arise from how the nervous system is functioning under load — not from someone choosing to perform a seizure. Some people have both functional seizures and epilepsy; only specialists can sort that out.
What can help
- A calm, accurate explanation of the diagnosis.
- A written safety plan for home, school or work.
- Specialist treatment pathways where available (therapy approaches, physio/OT input, seizure-focused programmes).
- Sleep protection, pacing, and reducing avoidable overload.
- Private episode logging for clinic — times, duration, triggers, recovery.
This is information, not a treatment plan. Personal care decisions belong with you and your clinicians.
For carers
Keep the person safe from injury, speak calmly, do not restrain harshly, and avoid a crowd of phones in their face. Ask afterwards what they want people to know next time.
FAQs
Are functional seizures fake?
No. They are involuntary and can cause injury and major disability. “Non-epileptic” describes mechanism, not honesty.
Can I have epilepsy and functional seizures?
Yes. Dual diagnoses exist. Specialist assessment matters.
What should someone do during an episode?
Safety first: cushion, time, calm voice, clear space. Call 999 if it is a first event, injury occurs, or recovery is not as usual.
Can memory vanish after a convulsive seizure?
Some people report severe temporary memory loss afterwards — including not recognising family or seeming much younger for a while. It is frightening. For many it settles as the nervous system recovers (minutes to about a day). See Cognitive symptoms for more detail, and get urgent help if the pattern is new or different.