Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder (NEAD) - Overcoming the Challenges presented by Dissociative Seizures

This blog post feels long overdue...

Throughout my 2015, dissociative seizures quite unexpectedly became my main daily concern.  

Perhaps the most frightening aspect of the ordeal was that for the majority of that period, I did not know what they were.  All I knew was that, having not experienced anything quite like it for 23 years of my life, I could be having a really good day and then suddenly I would get some strange sensations - a rising feeling in my stomach, a numbness, ringing in my ears, see flashing lights, sound and vision becoming blurred and muffled. I would soon after find myself on the floor with people crowded around me telling me I had had a seizure, then sometimes I would be whisked off in an ambulance to hospital or have to abandon my plans completely, go home and sleep for what felt like an age.  I find it really upsetting and quite surreal to reflect back on the fact that for almost a year, this was a regular part of my existence, even though I had never asked for it to be.

What is Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder/dissociative seizures/pseudo-seizures/psychogenic seizures?

These are all names that you might hear that actually refer to the same condition.

They refer to lapses of consciousness, blackouts and seizures that are not caused by electrical activity in the brain like epileptic seizures, but rather there are psychological factors behind them.

For the purpose of this blog post, I am going to use the terms NEAD and dissociative seizures as that is what is on my diagnosis and they are the terms that make most sense to me in describing my experiences. 

Dissociative seizures may look very similar to epileptic seizures - they are involuntary, involve loss of consciousness, risk of injury, similar movements and sometimes loss of bladder and bowel control. However, as I have said, they have different causes to epileptic seizures.  Some subtle differences between epileptic and dissociative seizures have been found, which are set out in this article.
As with any condition though,  NEAD affects individuals in different ways - my seizures were virtually indistinguishable from a tonic clonic epileptic seizure - I would go completely rigid first, lose consciousness and then have bodily convulsions.

What I have learnt along the way through my experiences with NEAD is that the condition is no less legitimate or valid than other medical conditions that involve seizures, such as epilepsy.  They are still involuntary, carry many of the same risks and are a very real concern to those who suffer from them.

Whenever you tell people that you suffer from seizures, they will usually assume that you have epilepsy but that is not always the case.  As ever,  I endeavour through this blog post to inform and raise awareness about non-epileptic seizures as well as provide what I hope to be useful advice to those who also suffer from the condition.

The Diagnostic Process - My Journey

The process of being diagnosed with dissociative seizures is quite a frustrating one as it is usually achieved entirely through the process of elimination - any other medical explanations for your seizures have to be ruled out.  This means being subject to a lot of tests without a lot of answers coming your way for a while.

It was at the beginning of March 2015 that I experienced my first seizure.

I had never experienced one before and in a way, it seemed to come out of nowhere.  

I was at work and was actually having a good day at the time but all of a sudden, a strong urge came over me to cry and I began to dissociate - having trauma related difficulties, this was something that I was familiar with, so I followed my usual process of going outside, hoping that a hit of fresh air would help to ground me.  This time though, quite out of the ordinary, at some point I lost consciousness and began convulsing - all of which, I have very vague and limited memory of.

I was then whisked away by ambulance to the local hospital to be monitored.

If a person's seizures are undiagnosed, because the cause is unknown, it is generally advised to call an ambulance.
 I therefore experienced a number of ambulance call outs for me during the time in which I was in the process of being diagnosed and my experiences with the ambulance staff were variable, sadly, mostly negative.  Once informed of my colourful mental health history, unfortunately, I'm sorry to say, the way they treated me was quite judgemental and not at all helpful - some seemed quite afraid of me, many presumed that my seizures were not a medical issue and gave the impression that I was wasting their time, even though I had absolutely no choice in the matter and had not called them out in the first place!

Only on one occasion would I say that the paramedics dealt with me in a helpful and supportive way and that made such a difference to how I was able to move on from the seizure and bounce back.

Anyway, getting back to the story of my first seizure...

When I was taken to hospital, I had the usual observations taken from me - blood pressure, blood sugar, an ECG etc. all of which (on most occasions) were fine so I was cleared to go home after just a couple of hours.  The doctor told me that it was likely my seizure was related to my mental health difficulties, to which I agreed was most probably the case at the time as I had undergone my first session of EMDR trauma therapy only a couple of days prior and so I was open to the idea that there was probably a lot of underlying trauma responses and emotions flying around that I may not have been fully aware of.

I was advised to go to my GP as soon as possible to ask for a referral to a neurologist in order to check if there were any neurological causes behind my seizures.

Surprisingly, I actually moved on quite positively from this experience.

I was determined not to let it get me down or take away from the progress I had made with my mental health.  I initially saw the seizure as a one-off - there were quite specific circumstances behind it and I didn't think it would happen again - perhaps that's how I wanted it to be.

That one-off changed a lot about my life overnight though.

I wasn't allowed to drive anymore.
In the UK, if you suffer a sudden loss of consciousness, be it an epileptic seizure or otherwise, you have to declare it to the DVLA.  I had to hand my driver's license back in and was told I would not be able to get it back until I had gone 12 months seizure free.  I think the 12 month seizure free rule is generally given as standard for epileptic seizures.  There is a bit of a grey area regarding non-epileptic seizures - you do have to declare them, have to be seizure free for a significant period of time and submit various reports from medical professionals before you have your license reinstated.
As insignificant as it may seem in the scheme of things, not being allowed to drive absolutely devastated me.
Driving meant a lot to me.
It was something that I was very anxious about taking up and therefore it felt like a real achievement when I passed.  I worked hard and paid for all my driving lessons and first car with my own money so it felt like something positive in my life that I had created for myself.  It gave me a sense of freedom, independence and it made me feel more 'normal' or more like other people.
Not being able to drive meant I now had to get the train to work, which significantly added to my journey.  This might all seem quite trivial but the way it felt to me was that as much as I wanted to move on from the seizure and see it as a 'one-off', I was faced with daily reminders that it had happened and my life had changed as a result.
After a couple of months, I had to make the quite frankly heart breaking decision to sell my beautiful car Georgina (yes, I name my cars!).  It was not financially viable to keep her while not being able to drive her and I knew I would not be able to drive again for a significantly long period of time.
This may sound silly as I know these rules are there to keep us all safe, but in many ways, it felt as though I was being punished for having a seizure.
However, Georgina went to a lovely new home and I did actually feel better not to have that daily reminder sitting on the drive of what I was missing out on!



As much as I miss the freedom and independence driving gave me, I think you quite simply can get used to not having a car.  Life goes on and in a way, you're best not to miss what you can't have and I am hopeful that I will be able to return to driving in the future.

I was referred to a neurologist.
After my A&E admission, following the doctor's advice, I went to my GP and got a referral to see a neurologist.
I had my first consultation with the neurologist in May 2015.  He was a very nice man - agreed that the seizure probably was a one-off (I hadn't had another at that point) and likely to be related to my mental health conditions.  However, it was within his duty of care to investigate for all possible medical causes so he referred me for an MRI scan and an EEG.
The MRI scan was to check for any abnormalities in the brain that may be causing the seizures.
For me, this was quite a challenge as due to past traumas, I am very claustrophobic and find it difficult when trapped and confined, especially when lying down.  If you suffer from these kind of anxieties, you can arrange to get some medication prescribed for the scan in order to sedate you.
I was given this option but was determined to be able to manage without and I did.
Sometimes if you are really anxious about something, it helps to know as much as possible about what to expect.
So if for whatever reason, you are faced with the prospect of having an MRI scan - it is very noisy (like lots of washing machines spinning at once, I would say!), you have this glass shield put in front of your face but there is actually more room than you might expect between you, the glass shield and the scanner, you are given a button to stop the machine at any point, you can have music playing above the noise of the machine (you can ask for a radio channel or even bring your own CD!) and at the age of 23, I went through the scanner with my teddy!
The EEG tests for electrical activity in your brain, which could indicate epilepsy.
You have around 22 electrical probes connected to your scalp and a couple on your upper chest - it sounds scary but really all that happens is that you end up with wild 80s hair afterwards due to the glue they have to attach the probes with (it washes and brushed out easily)!
The probes are connected to a monitor which measures the electrical activity in different parts of your brain - to be honest, it is really clever!  The first standard EEG I had lasted just 30 mins and involved having light testing, to test for photosensitive epilepsy, which actually isn't as common as you might think.  You just have to lie down on a bed with the EEG on and they put various flashing lights on coming from a lamp in front of your face at different frequencies.
Both tests were challenging for me but I saw each one as getting a step closer to understanding what was going on for me.
When you suddenly have a seizure or any health difficulty that seems to pop up out the blue, it is only natural to start worrying that you might have something really sinister wrong with you.  I certainly did worry.  Only a year before, I had experienced a student at the school I work at tragically pass away from an undiagnosed brain tumour - so that was certainly at the back of my mind.
I hoped if anything that the MRI scan would be able to put my mind at rest and in the end, it did.

From June 2015 onwards, the seizures came back in full force to strike again :(
And it really did feel as though it came from nowhere - I had been feeling really well but all of a sudden, I had to face the fact that my seizure wasn't a one-off, it had happened again and then they continued to happen and that was hard to face.
Over the summer, my seizures became more and more frequent - one a month, soon became one a fortnight, to once a week, to twice a week and even though I tried desperately not to let them, it started to feel as though the seizures were taking over my life.
I'm not going to lie, it did get me down.
Sometimes it felt desperately unfair - I'm only in my early twenties and all of a sudden, it seems as though my health is failing me.  I had worked so hard to rebuild my life after suffering a mental health crisis - I had returned to the job I absolutely adore, I had engaged in therapy, I had overcome so many challenges in my recovery, my life had grown so much bigger and better, but then this new issue turns up out of nowhere and seems to throw a huge spanner in the works.
It was the unpredictability and feeling out of control that I found the hardest to cope with.
I could have a seizure anywhere - I had many at work, when out and about, in a restaurant with friends.  I never got up in the morning and planned for it to happen, it was the last thing I wanted, yet all of a sudden I would find myself on the floor with concerned people standing around me and then find myself whisked away and left to the mercy of generally grumpy and unpleasant ambulance crews.  As the seizures became more frequent, it felt as though I had only just recovered from one and then would have another one - it was a really testing time for me emotionally.
It did cause problems for me at work, I was subject to some pretty hideous inquiries by an occupational health team, although on the whole, people were understanding towards me and could recognise that none of this was my fault - I do see now that it wasn't my fault, I never asked for any of this to happen.
It was hard to pick myself up again every time I had a seizure but I discovered through the process that there is a strong, positive and determined part of me who didn't want the seizures to get me down or hold me back when I had overcome so much already.
As hard as it was, I knew I would find a way through it and overcome it - if you suffer from NEAD I want you to know that you can find a way through it too and life can get better.
During difficult times, I always try to hang onto the positive things in my life that stay the same regardless so I kept going out on my walks and little adventures...

  

 My feelings towards my seizures changed - they didn't feel psychologically based
During this period in which my seizures became more frequent and I was still awaiting the results of my neurology tests, my own thoughts about the potential causes of my seizures began to change a bit.
I always tried to keep myself open to all possible explanations - medical or psychological, but I had experienced dissociative episodes for a very long time and my seizures felt completely different from these.  Generally, I dissociate in situations of extreme stress, I become very hyperaroused first and then when it all becomes too much, I flip over completely to the other extreme and zone out.  My seizures often seemed to happen in situations where I actually felt very comfortable, happy and relaxed ( I later found out that this is not uncommon in NEAD ).  In my dissociative episodes, my level of dissociation will generally build gradually and vary, whereas my seizures felt very sudden, more like an attack.
I also felt as though flickering lights were triggering my seizures - there seemed to be a link.
I also discovered that one of my cousins developed photosensitive epilepsy at around the same age as me with very similar symptoms.
So I think, I did start leaning towards thinking my seizures were probably the result of an epileptic condition.

September 2015 - MRI and EEG test results - things started getting complicated...
At long last, I received some results, both my MRI and EEG were completely normal, which, while I was pleased about, it actually wasn't what I was expecting.  On the basis of these results, I was diagnosed with 'Dissociative Attack Disorder'.  At that point though, I didn't feel able to accept the diagnosis for the following reasons:
~ I did not have a seizure while on the 30 minute EEG, epilepsy generally cannot be ruled out unless a person has actually had a seizure while on the monitor.
~ I felt like the diagnosis was more based on my mental health history and my first seizure rather than medical evidence and the nature of the seizures I had since my original consultation.
I contacted Epilepsy Action, who advise on diagnostic cases like these, they agreed that I had not received sufficient neurological investigation in making my diagnosis.
They told me to go back to my GP, who passed on my concerns to the neurology team.  I was referred to an epilepsy specialist, who agreed that I required further investigation and so I was referred for a 48 hour ambulatory EEG.
It may sound as though I made an almighty fuss about nothing but in order to be able to move on with any kind of diagnosis, it is important to feel that it is justified.

October 2015 - Getting a bit desperate and medication worries...
There was a period of time of about couple of months while I was waiting for the referral to the epilepsy specialist, in which I felt left in limbo a little.
My seizures continued to become more frequent and were affecting more and more areas of my life.
I was told the referral to the specialist could take a few months and there was no guarantee that she would agree to take on my case.
In a state of desperation I booked an appoint at my GP surgery to see if there was anything that could be done to speed up the process or if there was anything else that could be done for me.
I saw a different GP to my usual one and he commented that he thought it was unusual that I was prescribed sertraline (an antidepressant) as he had heard of a few cases where sertraline had lowered seizure thresholds in patients with an underlying epileptic condition.  It is a very rare side effect and there is not much research or evidence to support it but I had only started having seizures a couple of weeks after my medication had been increased so I thought there might be something in it.
I've previously written a post talking about this part of my medication journey but the main thing was, for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had a bit of a lead and that gave me hope.
I went to my psychiatrist and began the process of reducing my medication in the hope that it was decrease the frequency of my seizures.

November 2015 -The Ambulatory EEG - Looking like an alien for a couple of days...

An ambulatory EEG is basically a portable EEG, which is great because it means you don't have to stay in hospital and are likely to get the most accurate readings of your brain activity while carrying out the usual tasks in your daily life. I got my EEG fitted in the neurology department of a hospital and then was left to go away with it for a couple of days and then have have it removed, the readings were then studied over a couple of weeks.  The idea is that the longer you are on an EEG monitor, the more chance there is of capturing a seizure and by wearing it at home, you are surrounded by the usual things that may trigger your seizures.
Surprisingly, the most awkward aspect of wearing the EEG I found was having to carry around the monitor that was connected to all the wires - it made getting dressed an interesting process and every time I turned over in the night, I would have to remember to move the monitor over to the other side as I had to sleep with it beside me.
All inconveniences aside, I was actually really pleased to have an ambulatory EEG as I saw it as a significant opportunity towards understanding what was happening with my seizures and a step forwards in finding a resolution.  I knew the chances were that I wouldn't have a seizure on the EEG, it would be just my luck that I didn't!  Nonetheless, I wanted to give it the best chance of working so I carried on with my usual business, went to work and on all my usual travels, despite looking quite unusual.
I decided though that looking a bit unusual for a couple of days was a very small price to pay in the scheme of things so I swallowed my pride and went out there with my head held high, albeit with my hood up.  Actually, no one said anything much at all and if they did it was just out of curiosity, I got a few sympathetic glances when out in public but I would prefer that to being laughed at.
Much to my surprise, in the last few hours I had the EEG on I had a seizure.
I therefore went to the hospital in a very dazed state to have it removed but I was happy - I knew I had the best chance possible of finding the source of the problem and I promised myself at that point that whatever the results and outcome, I would accept it as true.

December 2015 - The Results and Diagnosis - Closure
In the middle of December, I received the results of my EEG.
As ever, I fully expected there to be abnormalities but as usual, I was wrong -
They were completely normal and on the basis of that I was given the diagnosis of
Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder - Dissociative Seizures.
The news hit me like a tonne of bricks - as much as I tried to keep myself open to all possibilities, it just wasn't the result I was expecting and as difficult as I find this to admit, I wanted it to be epilepsy.  This probably sounds very strange thinking but to me, I felt like epilepsy would be straightforward - easier to explain to people and I could just take some medication and get better.
I do know of course that in reality epilepsy is anything but straightforwards, it has a huge impact on people's lives and I sincerely hope I have not offended anyone by my honesty.  I actually work with a number of children who have epilepsy, I have seen first hand how it impacts their lives and I felt truly terrible for wishing it upon myself.
I also worried profusely about what other people would think about my diagnosis.  Inevitably, a lot of people ended up knowing about my seizures, they knew when I was expecting results etc. and I just didn't know how I was going to face the question of 'have you got your results yet'?  I thought that because my seizures have a psychological cause, people might think I was faking, attention seeking, or something of that nature, when in truth I feel very threatened when attention is drawn to me and my seizures were completely involuntary.  In actual fact, once I accepted the diagnosis myself and explained to people I trust about it, everyone was nothing but supportive.
More than anything, the reason why the news of my diagnosis overwhelmed me so much is that I have already received my fair share of mental health diagnoses and I believed I had made so many steps forwards and improvements in my recovery (and I had!) but this 'new problem' made me realise that perhaps the trauma of my past affects my life in the present more than I would like to admit and in light of this, the traumas I experienced never felt quite so real as on the day I received my NEAD diagnosis - it was frightening.

  

However, once I took some time to digest news, I began to accept it and see the positives in my situation.  I realised that I was incredibly lucky not have a life-long medical condition - I have my health and I'm very grateful for that.  It also provided a bit of closure - no more tests, hospital appointments, chasing up referrals, wondering what's the matter with me - at last, I had answers.
Above all, I saw that dissociative seizures were something I could overcome, it was just another challenge I had to face in my recovery.

I realise that I've divulged my own personal story with dissociative seizures at quite great length in this blog post but I hope it will be helpful if you are in the process of being diagnosed with dissociative seizure, or if you are just interested to know more.  Everyone's journey will be different and with hindsight, I actually realise that I was quite lucky with my diagnostic process.
The entire process from my first seizure to diagnosis took 9 months.  I know, unfortunately, it is much more common to first be given the diagnosis of epilepsy, be put on various anti-epileptic medication, be subject to a number of tests and after years of the medication seemingly not working (anti-epileptic drugs have no affect on dissociative seizures), be told by doctors that you have a totally different condition that is psychologically based.
I can only imagine how difficult that upheaval must be.

On a more practical note, here are a few things I learnt along the way that helped me to better manage dissociative seizures and essentially overcome them...

Having the correct diagnosis helps a lot.
In fact, interestingly, I have not had a dissociative seizure since receiving my diagnosis!
I have now been seizure free for 4 months and I see every week or month without a seizure as a huge positive and a step in the right direction.
Although I can't be completely certain of course, I am hopeful and actually quite confident that I will not have a seizure again.
Having a diagnosis can put your mind at rest sometimes - it can stop you worrying about the other possible causes of your problems.  For example, as I originally thought that lights may be triggering my seizures, everyday I was very conscious about the lighting surrounding me.  I do have some trauma related psychological issues connected to certain lights but because of the tests I had for photosensitivity, I now knew that medically I had no issues with lights and that they were not causing my seizures.  I think because I started thinking that lighting was causing my seizures, it was adding to my anxieties, which would then cause myself to have a seizure.  However, once I knew medically this was not the case, it lifted a huge weight off my shoulders - I no longer had to worry about lights anymore and automatically that one less detail made my life feel so much more carefree.
Knowing what the problem is goes along way in trying to understand it so it is important to push for whatever tests or referrals will lead you to a diagnosis.

Understanding what the seizures are about.
I have found that with any mental health problem, trying to understand why you have developed it and identifying the emotions, thoughts and behaviours behind it, is key to moving forwards in your recovery.  Once I had the diagnosis and knew what the problem was, I found it easier to reflect and consider what my dissociative seizures were all about.  In truth, I'm not completely sure.  I'm someone who is desperate for things to be logical and make sense but I've learnt that in the world of mental health, it doesn't always work that way.
What I have come to through reflecting is that I think my seizures were caused by a build up of suppressed trauma related emotional stress.  During the time in which I started to experience seizures, I was undertaking trauma therapy and it was becoming increasingly apparent that I had developed and was experiencing symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder but it was a reality that I was finding very difficult to accept and face up to.  Out of fear, I would often dismiss a lot of these related symptoms and experiences but as ever, the more you try to hide away from something, the stronger it becomes.  This emotional stress would build up in the background while I tried to get on with my 'normal life' and then all of a sudden, it would just all come out in the form of a seizure in a situation where I felt safe, relaxed and was least expecting it.  I think my seizures also manifested as a bodily reliving experience of some of the sexual abuse I had been through in the past - my seizures certainly weren't in any way pleasant!
People develop NEAD for a number of different reasons and each will have their own individual set of causes behind their seizures - some causes may change as well.  I have read that it is common though for people with NEAD to have experienced trauma in the past.
Whatever the background or story, you may be able to identify patterns in the situations in which your seizures occur and this may help you to understand why you have them.

Generally, look after yourself.
This might seem like a pretty lame piece of advice but I think it is significant.
I was much more likely to have a seizure if I was tired, hadn't eaten for a long period of time or had been quite busy, run down and stressed out.  These kind of factors can also influence dissociation levels too, which are linked to dissociative seizures.
It is important in any case to sleep well, eat well and generally look after yourself.  It can make quite a difference to your overall wellbeing.

Caring for someone who is having a dissociative seizure.
Going along the line of looking after yourself - when having a dissociative seizure, you have no choice but to allow others to look after you.
I can only imagine, based upon what others have told me, that seeing someone have a dissociative seizure is quite a frightening experience but it is important to remember that no damage is being caused to their brain by the seizure.
The first aid for dissociative seizures is exactly the same as for an epileptic seizure - you try to remove any objects that the person may injure themselves on, prevent them from banging their head (you could use a cushion or roll clothing up to put under their head), don't try to stop the convulsions and put them into the recovery position once the convulsions have stopped.
If you know the person has been diagnosed with NEAD, you do not need to call an ambulance, unless the person has injured themselves in the process of having the seizure - this is why it is a good idea to share your diagnosis with others, so they will know how to care for you if you were to have a seizure.

Give yourself the time you need to rest and recover.  Don't be hard on yourself.
Remember that dissociative seizures are a very real problem that affect both your mind and body.
After a seizure, I would feel as though my mind and body had been through a complete workout and might not feel like my usual self for a few days.  This is all understandable and you must listen to your body and allow yourself the time you need to rest and recharge.
During the time in which I was resting and recovering from seizures, I found it easy to get down and feel frustrated.  I am the type of person who likes to be out and about enjoying my life and when I had no choice but to slow down and rest, I felt like my seizures were getting in the way.
However, at the end of the day, your seizures are not your choice, or your fault.  Getting angry at yourself for having them won't make them go away any quicker.
I think you also have to try to be hopeful and positive that while your life might not be exactly how you want it right now because of the seizures, it is not always going to be like that, it can improve and you will be able to find a way to overcome them.

Notice the warning signs and try to stay present.
When reflecting upon your seizures, you may identify some warning signs - things you tend to experience in the lead up to the seizure.  It might be a sudden feeling of anxiety, a numbness, changes in your vision - whatever it may be, just note it.
I found that just by noticing the warning signs, I was actually able to stop myself having a seizure.
I could almost tell myself - I am experiencing x, y and z but that does not mean I am going to have a seizure, there are ways in which I can manage this, I am not going to have a seizure - and it wouldn't happen.  This probably sounds too simplistic and almost like wishful thinking but it worked for me.
I suppose I recognised I did have the skills to manage and calm down the warning symptoms and then they didn't escalate.
As the name suggests, dissociative seizures will involve a degree of dissociation - losing touch with your surroundings and the present moment.  It can therefore help to manage the dissociative symptoms that may lead up to a seizure through grounding techniques and focusing your mind on things that are happening in the present.
I previously wrote a blog post in my Safety and Stabilisation series about
Grounding and Staying Present that may be useful.

Be open to trying therapy.
I know that a lot of people with NEAD may be very reluctant to see psychotherapy as a treatment option as they experience their seizures as an exclusively physical problem - I can understand this as it did feel this way to me when I started experiencing seizures.
However, I think sometimes with any problem, you have to try to be open to anything that might improve things for you - just give it a go, you never know, you might gain something from it.
In any case, dissociative seizures will inevitably have a significant impact upon your life so it may be beneficial just to have someone to talk to about what is going on in your life in general.
Sadly, there does seem to be a tendency for people to receive a diagnosis of NEAD and then be completely left in the dark, with no treatment options.  Yet in fact, the recommended treatment for NEAD is psychotherapy and if you receive the diagnosis, you should be offered a referral to psychotherapy of some description - you might have to push for it by returning to your GP but it is care that you are entitled to.
I found that it could become easy to enter a bit of a vicious cycle with seizures - you try to get on with your life as best you can, then you have a seizure, you might start avoiding things that were around you when you had the seizure, or have another one when in a similar situation, you get down about the fact you can't control it and that it's interfering with your life and all that stress and anxiety seems to just culminate into another seizure.  From experience, I personally found that psychotherapy can really help to break down and challenge this kind of cycle of thoughts and emotions.  You can also learn skills that may help you to better manage your symptoms and even control them - after feeling as though your life has become dominated by seizures, it is so empowering to feel as though you are taking a bit of that control over your life back.
When I received my NEAD diagnosis, I was given the opportunity to take part in a trial of CBT for dissociative seizures.  This was not an opportunity I was able to take up as I was already receiving therapy (and it was benefiting me) but I have received some CBT in the past and I did find it really useful to apply some of the skills in attempting to break down the vicious cycles of thoughts and emotions that were causing my seizures to persist.

Don't let the seizures hold you back - live your life :)
If I was to single out my main piece of advice, this would be it.
As I've said, I would be lying if I claimed I didn't let the seizures get me down - I'm only human after all and it was a very difficult period in my life.  My seizures did interfere with my plans - I had to cancel a trip away I was really looking forward to as it was not safe for me to go on my own.
Nonetheless, it is so important that as far as possible, you do not let the seizures hold you back from living your life and doing the things you enjoy.
If you were to avoid every situation in which you might have a seizure, your life would quickly become very small and if you live your life waiting for the next seizure, then no doubt, it's going to come quicker!  Isolating yourself and living your life around the seizures is only going to succeed in giving them more control over you than they already have.
It's important to rest and allow yourself the time you need to recover from seizures but once you've recharged your batteries it's also important to get back out there again and as far as possible, keep up every activity that makes up your 'normal life'.  The main piece of advice I was given by every medical professional regarding my seizures was to not give up my job and I now see just how important it was that I didn't.  Work gives us a sense of purpose, routine, structure, normality and can act as a distraction too.  I'm not saying it is plain sailing.  I am very lucky in the sense that my employers have always been very understanding of my mental health conditions but even so, there were times when my seizures seemed to test the limits.  I also found it very difficult within myself, in that I felt as though I couldn't be relied upon in my job in the way that I wanted to be because of my seizures - sometimes I felt as though I was letting people down and putting too much on them.
With hindsight, I now see that the seizures were not my fault, I was trying to deliver the best I could under difficult circumstances and that was all anyone could ever ask of me.
NEAD is a very real illness and it is classed as a disability in the same way that other conditions such as epilepsy are.  You are therefore entitled to have adjustments put in place to support you.  Generally, I find that if you give them a chance and explain, most people will want to understand and help.

You owe it to yourself not to let seizures rule and dominate your life - you matter so much more than that...

Love and Strength,
The One Day Seeker