Warm, practical information on functional seizures (non-epileptic seizures / NEAD in some services) — what they are, safety, recovery, and how to talk about them without panic or shame.
If you have functional seizures, you already know how quickly a room can change: from ordinary conversation to an episode that scares everyone watching — including you. This page is written to lower the temperature of that fear while staying honest about safety.
Functional seizures are episodes where movement, awareness, speech or responsiveness changes because of a functional disruption in the nervous system. They are not a performance. They are not attention-seeking. They can look dramatic from the outside while feeling terrifying, blank, distant, or strangely “far away” from the inside.
Different services use different names: functional seizures, dissociative seizures, non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD). The language is evolving; the experience is what matters.
During an episode — practical steps
Protect the head and move hard objects away
Loosen clothing around the neck if it is tight
Time the episode if possible
Speak calmly; avoid shouting or rough restraint
Do not put fingers or objects in the mouth
Stay with the person until recovery is clear
Call 999 for a first seizure, injury, breathing concern, prolonged recovery, or anything new/severe
Many people need quiet, hydration, sleep and reduced sensory load. Shame often arrives right after consciousness returns — especially if incontinence, injury or public panic happened. That shame is common and undeserved.
A simple after-plan helps: where to sit/lie, who to text, whether work needs a short recovery window, and what “normal recovery for me” looks like so others know when to escalate.
Patient stories
“I was aware, but I could not make the shaking stop”
Composite account · name changed · Real experiences shared with FND Connect
Laura Bennett describes some episodes as full blackouts and others as ‘trapped awareness’ — hearing voices, unable to respond, body moving without her command. Colleagues once thought she was ignoring them. A short card in her bag and a calm explanation from a trusted friend changed the workplace response from irritation to protection.
She still has episodes. She no longer spends the recovery day replaying humiliation on loop — because the plan is already written.
Stories are composite, realistic accounts drawn from common lived experiences shared with FND Connect. Names and identifying details are changed. They are not medical case studies.
What can lower the threshold
Not everyone has clear triggers. When patterns exist, people often notice sleep loss, illness, heat, sensory overload, missed meals, stress peaks, hormonal phases, or stacking too many demands. Tracking is about curiosity, not blame.
Functional seizures can affect driving rules, workplace adjustments and benefits evidence. See driving & DVLA, FND and work, and PIP and benefits. Get personalised advice from clinicians and official DVLA guidance for your situation.
Common questions
What are functional seizures?
Functional seizures are episodes of altered movement, awareness or responsiveness caused by a functional problem in the nervous system rather than the electrical mechanism of epilepsy. They are real and involuntary.
Are functional seizures dangerous?
They can cause injury from falls, exhaustion, and major impact on life. They are not ‘fake’. Urgent care is still needed for first events, injuries, breathing concerns, or new patterns — never assume every episode is automatically safe.
How are functional seizures different from epileptic seizures?
The mechanism differs. Diagnosis may use history, witness accounts and sometimes video-EEG. Some people have both. Only specialists can diagnose; this page is information, not a self-test.
What should someone do during my episode?
Keep you safe from injury, cushion the head if needed, time the episode, speak calmly, do not restrain harshly or put objects in the mouth, and call emergency services if it is a first event, injury occurs, or you are not recovering as usual.
Why am I so wiped out afterwards?
Post-episode fatigue, fog, emotion and muscle ache are common. Plan recovery time. Pushing straight back into full activity can lower the threshold for the next episode for some people.
Can tracking help?
Yes — especially for clinic, safety planning and spotting triggers like sleep loss or heat. Keep logs factual and kind to yourself. SeizeControl is built for this kind of structured, private tracking.
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