Why two minutes feels like ten when someone has a seizure

When you witness someone having a seizure for the first time, it's terrifying - and time seems to slow down.

Neurologist Dr Peter Bergin sat down with The House of Wellness radio show to explain why those two minutes feel endless, what's actually happening in the brain, and the surprisingly simple way to help.

What exactly is epilepsy?

It's a condition where people have seizures as a result of an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain. You can think of it a bit like a short circuit - millions of nerve cells fire off inappropriately at the same time.

Can anyone develop it?

Yes, anyone is susceptible. If you live through to the age of 80, you've probably got somewhere between a one in 10 and a one in 15 chance of having at least one unprovoked epileptic seizure. It's actually more common to develop after the age of 60.

What causes it?

There's a huge range of factors. Any structural abnormality of the brain can result in seizures - head injuries, tumours, stroke. If you have a stroke, there's about a one in seven chance you'll go on to develop epilepsy. One of the big developments in the last 15 years is discovering the number of different genetic conditions associated with epilepsy.

What should you do if you see someone having a seizure?

The most important thing is not to panic. Seizures typically stop within a couple of minutes - but when it's the first time you've seen a seizure, it seems they go on forever and two minutes seems like 10 minutes. It can be very scary.

I see lots of adults who come in with their spouse, and the person who has the seizure has recovered fully and may not realise it was a big deal, but the person who saw it was terrified. They will often say they thought their partner was going to die.

If you’re nearby when someone has a seizure, put something like a pillow or a jumper under the person's head and just wait. Treat the person with dignity - they'll often be confused afterwards, be quite sleepy and embarrassed.

You don't want to move somebody during the seizure. Wait for it to stop, then put them in the recovery position. Obviously if it occurs in the middle of a road, you have to get them off the road, but in the supermarket, you just let the seizure happen.

When should someone see a doctor?

Following any seizure. We often see people following their first big seizure, but in retrospect they've actually been having minor seizures for a year or longer without realising. Some seizures just cause people to go blank for five to 10 seconds or give little jerks. They may feel they're going into a dreamy state or get some unusual emotion. Each episode's similar but other people may not even realise it's happening.

Any other advice?

Most people with epilepsy are perfectly well 99% of the time and their brain's working exactly the same as everybody else's. I think of it a bit like somebody having asthma - from time to time they have an attack, but most of the time they're well.

This article is not intended as individual medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment. For the full interview with Dr Peter Bergin, listen to the audio player in the article above or The House of Wellness podcast.

Source: https://www.stuff.co.nz/wellbeing/360936016/why-two-minutes-feels-ten-when-someone-has-seizure