Index IntroductionCauses and symptomsDiagnosis and treatment methodsSupport groupsConclusionIntroductionEpilepsy is a disease that affects the nervous system and causes seizures in the body. Expert researchers from the Mayo Clinic (2019) tell us that it is a disease that affects the central nervous system in which activity in the brain causes a person to lose control and behave differently. This loss of control of the body is like having a seizure. According to the Epilepsy Foundation and Fisher (2014), the difference between epilepsy and common seizures is that epilepsy is the recurrent action of having seizures, which means that a seizure is an event, but epilepsy is a disease. This disease affects every area of ​​a person's biological, neurological and psychological being. This makes it difficult for those suffering from this disease to have a normal social life because crises can occur at any time without any warning. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Causes and Symptoms According to Fisher (2014), there are two things that determine whether a person has epilepsy. Fisher suggests: At least two unprovoked (or reflex) seizures occurring more than 24 hours apart. One unprovoked (or reflex) seizure and a probability of further seizures similar to the general risk of recurrence (at least 60%) after two unprovoked seizures, occurring in the next 10 years. Methods of Diagnosis and Treatment Sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether a person is having an attack. It may look like a blank stare, or it may be a person twitching or moving their arms and legs uncontrollably. Doctors will examine brain function to evaluate behavior, motor skills, and mental function to see if any abnormalities are present. They will also do blood tests for infections or genetic history to determine what is going on. If there are signs of abnormalities, a series of other tests will be conducted to understand the cause and severity of the seizures. The most common is the EEG (electroencephalogram) in which electrodes are attached to the head and brain activity is recorded. Additionally, other tests such as CT scan, MRI, fMRI, PET and SPECT can be used to determine brain activity. Deciding to make a diagnosis of epilepsy is not the same as deciding to treat epileptic seizures. Some people feel they don't need medication because the seizure is considered mild and may not occur often; this is another way to avoid side effects of medications. Some of the side effects of the drugs can be fatigue, dizziness, memory problems, weight gain, skin rashes, depression, suicidal thoughts, and inflammation of the organs. Treatment decisions depend on each case and are determined by the person's doctor and the severity or frequency of the seizures. However, it takes a long time to determine whether it should be called epilepsy or whether it is simply seizures. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic (2019) state that many times people outgrow epilepsy as they age, while some cases last a lifetime. However, treatment may consist of medications or even surgery to control seizures for most people. Newer treatments include therapies such as vagus nerve stimulation and the keto diet. Vagus nerve stimulation is a device that is inserted under the skin and sends small shocks to the brain similar to a defibrillator. The keto diet breaks down fats instead of carbohydrates and has implications in decreasing seizures...