Are Unclassifiable Physical Symptoms Causing Distress And Discomfort?

Do you struggle with “medically unexplained” symptoms—such as tremors, non-epileptic seizures, or bladder issues—that affect your quality of life?

Have you felt continually dismissed by medical providers who seem to believe that you are exaggerating your symptoms or making them up?

Are your episodes embarrassing, causing you to avoid social situations or other activities that you might otherwise enjoy?

If you’re dealing with ongoing physical symptoms with no known cause, you’re probably feeling bogged down by frustration and discomfort. Whether you suffer from uncontrollable movements and tremors, cognitive confusion, an overactive bladder, or “pseudo-seizures” for which epilepsy has been ruled out, you might be exhausted from trying to manage episodes.

A Lack Of Concern From Your Medical Team May Be Adding To Your Distress

On top of being physically uncomfortable, you may feel discouraged by how care teams and medical providers have been treating you. You probably worry that you’re not getting the validation or support needed to heal, especially if you have been told that symptoms are your fault. If this is the case, it can be easy to feel out of control of your body and unsure if you will ever receive the answers you’ve been looking for.

It’s possible that your symptoms are related to certain conditions known as Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) or Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES). These conditions lead to sudden, involuntary changes in movement, behavior, sensation, and consciousness. Fortunately, effective treatment is available for both Functional Neurological Disorder and Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures. As an experienced specialist working with functional neurological disorders, I can help you manage symptoms of FND and PNES.

What Causes FND And PNES?

Somatization—or the development of physical symptoms as the result of mental/emotional stress—is something that we all experience, like when we get an upset stomach before a big presentation or struggle with tension headaches during a difficult period. FND and PNES operate similarly because their underlying cause is psychological rather than physical.

It’s estimated that 74 percent of people with FND have a history of trauma and emotional neglect.^[1] While traumatic experiences are often present for those who struggle, not everyone living with FND and PNES meets the criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In some cases, learned patterns of behavior or unconscious coping mechanisms lead to physical symptoms.

The Role Of Trauma And Emotional Distress In Neurological Disorders

All of us have been conditioned in some way to avoid, ignore, or suppress challenging emotions—understandably, it can be difficult and even traumatizing to face tough experiences head-on. However, our body can only hold onto so much unresolved stored stress before its effects take over. When we begin experiencing uncomfortable physical symptoms with no obvious medical explanation, it is our body’s way of letting us know that something needs to be addressed.

Bringing mindful, careful attention to these issues allows us to resolve them in a safe, manageable way. Once potential medical issues have been eliminated in these situations, it can be beneficial to approach symptoms from a trauma-informed mental health perspective. Working with a therapist who specializes in Functional Neurological Disorder and Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures in treatment can help relieve emotional distress, eventually translating to increased physical comfort.

Treatment For Functional Neurological Disorder And Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures At Momentai Wellness

If you’re here, you have probably been through the wringer when it comes to navigating the medical system. Between being dismissed by doctors and lacking the knowledge or vocabulary to identify your symptoms, you may be feeling frustrated by the treatment process. As your therapist, I am here to affirm your emotions and experiences so we can collaborate on concrete solutions that can significantly improve your daily life.

I view the brain and body as interchangeable entities, which means I take a holistic approach to therapy for Functional Neurological Disorder and Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures. Through active engagement in the counseling space, you can develop individualized coping strategies and decrease the frequency of episodes.

What To Expect

Treatment for FND and PNES is broken up into three phases:

1. Understanding your symptoms and how they affect you
2. Unearthing and working through core traumatic or stressful experiences at the root of physical symptoms
3. Working on building a life with newfound meaning and increased comfort

Much of our work in treatment will revolve around recognizing the stressors impacting you and interpreting how your body responds to those stressors. With newfound insight, you can feel more in control of your body.

The Modalities I Work With

I use a range of approaches in therapy for FND and PNES. Depending on your needs and goals for treatment, I will incorporate proven methods that can effectively reduce neurological symptoms and non-epileptic seizures.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is closely related to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), can help lay the groundwork for treatment, offering you distress tolerance skills to limit the triggers leading to seizures and Functional Neurological Disorder episodes. We will also use parts work to guide you in understanding your mind’s response to stress.

Once you are resourced with meaningful coping skills, we can work together to heal the distress or trauma that has led to your physical symptoms. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly efficient and gentle counseling technique that rewires the brain, changing the way that you recall and experience traumatic memories. When combined with behavioral approaches, EMDR can dramatically improve your self-image for the better, allowing you to let go of limiting patterns and beliefs.

If you are living with the adverse effects of Functional Neurological Disorder or Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures, trauma-informed treatment is likely to offer you the relief you’ve been seeking out. With my guidance in therapy, clients suffering from FND and/or PNES have been able to heal core wounds once and for all, thereby substantially reducing their symptoms and enjoying a better quality of life.

Common Questions About FND/PNES Treatment…

My doctors are already telling me my FND/PNES symptoms are all in my head and that I am doing this to myself—how will treatment with you be any different?

I do not believe this is something you are doing to yourself. While the outdated label of “pseudo” seizures causes many people to believe that episodes are under their conscious control, the reality is that your symptoms are your body’s involuntary response to stress and/or trauma. I would not blame someone for having IBS or stress headaches; FND and PNES are similar to those conditions but just more complicated ways of your body alerting you to a problem.

What if I don’t have a trauma history? Can I still benefit from treatment?

Some people struggling with FND and/or PNES do not have a trauma history. However, it’s likely that if you are suffering from these issues, there are emotional or mental stressors at the core of your symptoms. I’ve worked with lots of people in therapy for FND/PNES who don’t define their experiences as traumatic but are nevertheless exhibiting symptoms of chronic stress.

No matter your experience, treatment for Functional Neurological Disorder and Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures can help you target symptoms in a lasting way.

I’d rather not discuss or deal with my trauma in treatment—I’ll get upset and overwhelmed.

I completely understand why the idea of facing unresolved trauma sounds scary and uncomfortable; you avoided them at the time they occurred for a reason. A therapist—particularly a specialist in FND and non-epileptic seizures—can serve as a coach to help you process trauma without getting overwhelmed. With the tools you receive through therapy, you will be able to manage symptoms more effectively while developing a healthier outlook and mindset in general.

Take Control Of Your Stress Response

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES) may have compromised your quality of life, but treatment with a skilled specialist can help you manage and reduce symptoms. To find out more about my approach to therapy, schedule a free, 15-minute consultation.

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8439508/