Is there a connection between epilepsy and mild mental illness?

I need to know from people who are epileptics or have lived with one..even if the medication is working and they havent had a seizure in years, is it still possible for something to be neurologically wrong? I'm seeing rash thinking, anxiety....almost bipolar symptoms. Is there a connection between the functioning of the brain, thought and the illness epilepsy.

The short answer to this question is really 'no', but epilepsy is caused by abnormal electrical impulses - an excessive discharge of cerebral neurons - that result in disturbed activity of the brain, resulting in full or partial seizures. They can be general, involving most of the brain and causing a major seizure with unconsciousness, or they can be focal, where the discharge is limited to a local area of the brain and just has a local effect such as twitching on one limb or the experience of an unusual sensation.

Seizures may occur without any obvious cause, or follow brain injury, and can also be brought on by some drugs, and on withdrawal from alcohol, sleeping tablets and tranquillisers. However they are not brought on by the chemical imbalances that are thought to occur in the brain of people with depression, for example.

There is no direct association between mental illness and epilepsy, but mental illness may occur more frequently in epileptics for a number of reasons. Examples would be recurrent status epilepticus, where a series of unremitting seizures can cause secondary problems to brain function, and where epilepsy severely curtails employability and lifestyle. This can affect outlook on life, personality, and cause social withdrawal and induce depression. Drug treatment can also cause sedation and influence mood.

There seems to be a correlation with epilepsy and mental health problems, with bipolar disorder being flagged up more than any other. I am diagnosed as having epilepsy (and wondered whether I could have bipolar disorder), and I know two others with the condition.

I used to consider them strange as well. One is bizarre, and illogical with his thinking. Another has mood swings and is quite aggressive.

I, myself, have depression and anxiety and some other issues problems which I hope are behind me now. All three of us are self-involved if I'm honest.

Hope this helps!

PS, they used to consider people as having an 'epileptic personality' scientifically for these reasons. However, it is just thought now that it is correlated with other disorders.

The medications used for bipolar (mood stabilisers) are anti-convulsants.

I have epilepsy, and though I don't believe I have any mental illnesses beyond occasional depression, and the usual people driving me nuts sometimes, I have seen reports that if you have epilepsy for a number of years, it may cause any strong personality traits you have to worsen. For example, Julius Caesar had epilepsy and was naturally very vain. As he aged, he became more of a megalomaniac, and scientists now think it was partly because of the epilepsy.