Health & Relation

A very important person in my life recently showed symptoms of emotional stress, and was diagnosed for PNES.
It has become challenging to discuss emotionaly stressful topics between us and been very difficult for me to handle situations alone.

Would it become impossible for PNES patients to discuss any emotional matters? How can they overcome this ?

Please advice me how to cope up with this. Probably somethng can help save our relation. What are the treatments available. I want to make things easier and better.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

this is a hard problem to solve. The seizures are a response to emotions that your friend does not know how to handle, so must keep locked up. When a conversation triggers the emotion, the seizures are potentiated, so having a conversation triggers a conversation stopper.  The best way to get around this would be to have your conversation with your friend in a therapist's office...the therapist could monitor , and also help your friend learn a better way of handling her feelings...

[Jaquta]

Hi
I had no idea what you were talking about so did a really quick search.  Well, as quick as our computer would allow.  We seem to run on turtle mode a lot.

I think the answer is no it would not become impossible to discuss emotional matters.  I guess if it were very severe and without appropriate treatment then it could become ...challenging.

The one site I visited suggested EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) as the recommended treatment.  
This web site said they experienced better treatment outcomes when they focused on the trauma.  Although it did say that not all cases were the result of trauma.  It said getting in touch with the emotions and memories helped.

I did one emdr session with a previous therapist.  I personally didn't notice a huge change.  I think I struggled with the interruptions and the fear that I would do it wrong, although my T assured me only she could do it wrong.
My T believed that this treatment would alleviate my anxiety.  She said that memories from past events are stored in the body.  It is these memories and emotions that need to be worked through.
My T was highly trained in this and she said that she had seen some remarkable results.  I trust her, so I believe it must work if done correctly by the T.

The site also said something about it being like a somatoform or conversion disorder.  It said the emotional distress is exhibited as seizures (or non-seizures).
My mum has had seizures in the past.  This could almost be describing her.

Perhaps therapy could help.  I expect this could be challenging as emotional stress could induce a seizure.

I would strongly recommend dealing with your own stress first.  Would it be possible to decrease stressful events in the significant others life?  I mean, are there obvious stressors that could be eliminated or minimized?  I don't know if this would help, but sometimes with reduced stress and pressure we are better able to cope.  I don't mean change the world or put the other person in cotton wool, but just simple common sense things.

If you both want to save the relationship you will.

Have you researched this on the net?  You could try somatoform disorder too.
What did their doctor say?  Were they referred for a psych assessment?  What did their doctor say?

It said one difficulty was the stigma of having a psychiatric disorder.

Advice:  Be gentle, don't judge or blame, listen, be supportive, validate, empathize.  Accept them and the condition.  Work together, not against each other.  Be respectful and give space when needed.  Probably things you're already doing.

The website said that it was a genuine condition and that the patient had no control over the seizure.

I would talk to a psychiatrist and then look for a good T.

Good luck.  Thank you for educating me today.

J