Agoraphobia with panic disorder or epileptic seizure? Controversial conclusions on diagnosis - A case report

This paper describes a patient suffering from agoraphobia with panic disord er and with a history of self-induced epileptic seizures. The anxiety syndr om causing the admission to hospital could be diagnosed as non epileptic. H e was treated successfully with a behaviour therapy. We discuss the possibl e interactions between anxiety disorders and epileptic seizures and some di agnostic demarcations. We conclude that even people with mild forms of epil epsy may develop an anxiety disorder arising from the fear of again getting epileptic seizures. To work out the different syndromes of epileptic seizu res and of panic attacks should be part of the therapy.