What is epilepsy?

• If you’ve been diagnosed with epilepsy, it means you have a tendency to have seizures (fits).
• Seizures are caused by a sudden burst of intense electrical activity in your brain.
• The brain controls everything we think, feel and do, so the symptoms you experience during a seizure depend on the area of your brain that has been affected by the electrical activity.
• After a seizure, your brain and body will usually return to normal.
• More information about seizures.

Some facts

• There are about 40 different types of seizure. It’s possible to have more than one type.
• Epilepsy can affect anyone, at any age and from any walk of life.
• Males are slightly more likely to develop epilepsy than females (but no one really knows why).
• In every 100 people with epilepsy, about 70 could have their seizures stopped with the right treatment.

More in this section:

• Introduction
• What is epilepsy?  
• Living with epilepsy
• Treatment
• Visiting your doctor
• Sex and sexuality
• Becoming a father
• SUDEP
• Support