Can panic attacks cause seizures?

Key Takeaways:

• Panic attacks don’t directly cause epileptic seizures, but they can trigger psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) in some people.
• Certain anti-anxiety medications—especially benzodiazepines like Xanax® or Valium®—can increase seizure risk when stopped suddenly.
• Never stop anxiety medication abruptly; always work with a provider on a gradual tapering plan.
• Panic attacks and seizures share overlapping symptoms but have different causes. Proper diagnosis ensures the right treatment.
• Nurx can prescribe non-controlled anxiety medications when appropriate and help you manage your mental health safely from home.

Can a panic attack actually cause a seizure? It’s a scary question, and a very common one.

The reassuring truth is that panic attacks don’t usually cause epileptic seizures. For example, hyperventilation during a panic attack can lower carbon dioxide levels in the blood, which may inadvertently trigger a seizure in someone already prone to epilepsy. 

In this case, the anxiety itself isn’t the direct cause but the breathing changes associated with panic can play a role.

It’s also important to recognize key differences. While a panic attack might make you feel spaced out, detached, or disconnected, a true loss of consciousness where you cannot be woken up is a hallmark of certain types of seizures. 

Still, anxiety, stress, certain medications, and how they’re used can complicate the picture.

Understanding what’s panic-related, what’s not, and when to seek medical guidance can ease a lot of fear and help you feel more grounded in what your body is really doing.

What is a panic attack?

According to Mayo Clinic, a panic attack is characterized by intense fear that strikes suddenly with physical symptoms that peak within minutes. 

During these episodes, your heart races like you’ve just sprinted up stairs. Many people describe chest pain so severe that they think they’re having a heart attack.

You might sweat profusely, shake uncontrollably, or feel like you can’t catch your breath. The psychological sensations can hit just as hard. You might feel detached from reality, fear you’re losing control, or even experience a fear of dying.

Physical symptoms of panic attacks

The following physical manifestations can help you understand if you’re dealing with panic attacks:

• Rapid, shallow breathing that leads to hyperventilation
• Changes in blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, causing lightheadedness and tingling
• Tense muscles preparing for danger that doesn’t exist
• Tunnel vision or feeling like the world around you isn’t real

How long do panic attacks last, and why do they feel so intense?

Panic attacks typically reach their peak intensity within 10 minutes, though the entire episode usually lasts between 5 and 20 minutes. Some people experience lingering effects for an hour or more afterward, feeling drained and shaky.

During a panic attack, your body launches into fight-or-flight mode even when there’s no real danger present. This intense response floods your system with adrenaline and creates very real physical sensations that can feel terrifying and intense.

And, while the acute phase is brief, the fear of having another attack can persist for days or weeks, leading to high levels of anxiety. This anticipatory anxiety often becomes more limiting than the attacks themselves.

Now, what are epileptic seizures?

Epileptic seizures result from sudden, uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain that temporarily disrupts normal functioning.

Think of it like an electrical storm in your brain’s circuitry.

Brain injuries, genetic factors, infections, and developmental disorders can all trigger the abnormal electrical patterns that cause epileptic seizures.

Certain triggers—like sleep deprivation, flashing lights, or stress—can lower the seizure threshold in susceptible individuals.

Unlike panic attacks, which stem from anxiety disorders and stress responses, epileptic events involve measurable changes in brain wave patterns that an electroencephalogram (EEG) can detect.

Types of epileptic seizures

There are several types of epilepsy-related seizures, and each requires different diagnosis and management strategies:

• Tonic-clonic seizures involve loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions
• Focal aware seizures keep you conscious but cause unusual sensations or movements in one part of your body
• Absence seizures cause brief lapses in awareness, often mistaken for daydreaming
• Complex partial seizures affect consciousness and may cause affective symptoms and repetitive movements like lip-smacking or hand-rubbing.

Can anxiety and panic attacks cause seizures?

If you’ve ever had a panic attack that felt overwhelming or out of control, it’s understandable to wonder whether anxiety itself can cause a seizure. The answer isn’t a simple yes or no, and that nuance matters.

Anxiety and panic attacks do not directly cause epileptic seizures. 

Epileptic seizures are defined by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, and that electrical “misfiring” doesn’t happen during a panic attack.

Your brain isn’t short-circuiting; even if it feels like everything is spiraling.

That said, anxiety can trigger episodes that look very much like seizures, which is where the confusion often comes from.

During intense anxiety or panic, your body’s stress response can cause shaking, disorientation, shortness of breath, muscle tightening, and a sense of losing control.

These symptoms are real and frightening. But they come from a surge of stress hormones, not from seizure activity in the brain.

The link between anxiety, epilepsy, and the stress–seizure cycle

If you live with epilepsy, anxiety plays a much bigger role. The prevalence of stress and anxiety can lower the seizure threshold. That makes seizures more likely to happen in people who already have the condition.

In fact, research says people with epilepsy experience psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, at two to three times higher rates. 

Plus, the unpredictability of the frequency of seizures can make you develop anxiety about when the next one will occur. Over time, that anticipatory anxiety can become so limiting that it shapes daily decisions, social plans, and independence.

In some seizure types, especially those involving the temporal lobe, intense fear or panic can even be part of the seizure itself. The overlap can make it harder to tell where anxiety ends and seizure symptoms begin.

How stress can affect seizure frequency

Stress doesn’t just feel bad. It can have measurable effects on seizure risk.

During periods of ongoing stress, your body releases hormones that can make seizures more likely. Add poor sleep, which often comes with anxiety, and the risk increases further.

This creates a frustrating loop: worrying about seizures raises stress, stress lowers the seizure threshold, and seizures reinforce the anxiety. Left unchecked, that cycle can become self-perpetuating.

Breaking it usually requires treating both sides of the equation. Managing epilepsy alone isn’t always enough if anxiety is driving stress levels higher. 

When mental health care and neurological care work together, treatment is more effective. And life often feels more manageable again.

If any of this feels familiar, you’re not overreacting. Your experience makes sense, and help exists for both the treatment of anxiety and the physical symptoms tied to it.

Nurx offers accessible mental health care, including anxiety treatment, evidence-based medication options, and ongoing provider support, so you don’t have to navigate this alone.

Differences between panic attacks and seizures

Learning to differentiate between a panic attack and seizures related to epilepsy helps prevent misdiagnosis and ensure proper treatment.

While both can feel overwhelming, understanding their distinct characteristics empowers you to seek appropriate care.

Duration and consciousness

During a panic attack, while you remain medically conscious, you may feel like you are losing touch with reality, which is why seizures and panic attacks are so easily confused. 

Even if you feel detached from your body or surroundings, you’re still aware of what’s happening and can usually respond to others. That sense of “losing control” can feel intense, but it isn’t the same as losing consciousness.

Epileptic seizures, on the other hand, often involve altered or lost awareness, depending on the seizure type. Some people may become unresponsive, confused, or unaware of their surroundings during the episode.

Timing 

Timing also differs.

Panic attacks typically build quickly, peak, and begin to ease within about 20 minutes.

Seizures may last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes, and they’re often followed by a longer recovery phase. 

After a seizure happens, people may feel confused, exhausted, or disoriented; sometimes for hours. In contrast, people who experience panic attacks usually remember the episode clearly once it passes.

Physical movements and symptoms

Your body’s movements can offer important clues.

Panic attacks often cause shaking, trembling, sweating, and a racing heart.

The key difference is that panic shaking is a fine tremor (like shivering), while seizures often involve rhythmic, large-muscle jerking (clonic activity).

During certain types of epileptic seizures, the body may stiffen or jerk in a repeated, uncontrolled pattern. Symptoms like biting your tongue or losing bladder control can happen with seizures, but they don’t occur during panic attacks.

If you’ve ever worried that shaking or trembling meant something more serious, you’re not alone. Those sensations don’t automatically mean you’ll be diagnosed with epilepsy.

How providers diagnose each condition

If you’re unsure what you’re experiencing, know that there’s help available.

A healthcare provider can help in making a differential diagnosis for your medical condition.

For epilepsy, diagnosis often involves tests that look directly at brain activity. An EEG records electrical signals in your brain, and imaging tests like Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans check for structural changes.

Panic disorder is diagnosed differently. There isn’t a single test. Instead, your provider will talk with you about your symptoms, how long they last, what triggers them, and how often they occur. 

Questionnaires and medical history help rule out other causes.

Can anti-anxiety medications increase seizure risk?

Understanding how anxiety medications interact with seizure risk is crucial for safe treatment. 

While these medications help millions manage anxiety, certain types pose specific risks that require careful monitoring.

Which medications can trigger seizures?

Studies show that benzodiazepines paradoxically both treat and potentially cause seizures. 

However, it’s important to note that seizure risk is mainly linked to stopping a high-dose benzodiazepine suddenly after long-term use, especially if it was prescribed by another provider. 

That’s why any changes (starting, stopping, or adjusting the dose) should always be done with guidance from a health care provider to keep you safe and supported.

Nurx does not prescribe benzodiazepines. If you’re currently taking one, any changes, whether starting, stopping, or adjusting the dose, should always be made with guidance from your prescribing health care provider to help reduce risks and keep you supported.

Other medications that may affect seizure risk include:

• Bupropion (generic Wellbutrin®):
  While effective for depression and anxiety, it can lower the seizure threshold, especially at higher doses.

• Tramadol:
  This prescription pain medication has been associated with increased seizure risk, particularly at higher doses or when combined with other medications that affect the nervous system.

• Certain antihistamines, muscle relaxants, and some antibiotics:
  These medications may affect seizure risk in susceptible individuals, especially when combined with other risk factors.

Anti-anxiety medications like SSRIs generally carry a lower seizure risk but still require careful consideration in patients with epilepsy.

Never stop anxiety medication suddenly

The importance of gradual medication tapering cannot be overstated. Never stop medication suddenly. 

Stopping use of benzodiazepines abruptly poses serious risks, including withdrawal seizures, which can occur even in people without epilepsy. 

Other withdrawal symptoms include:

• Severe anxiety
• Insomnia
• Tremors
• Confusion.

Even medications like SSRIs that are considered “safer” for psychosocial disorders can cause discontinuation syndrome if stopped too quickly. 

If you’ve been diagnosed with seizures or other neurologic conditions, working with a provider on a slow, supervised taper is especially critical.

Nurx can provide anxiety medication when appropriate, with licensed providers who understand the complexities of anxiety treatment.

What is a functional seizure?

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) or functional seizures represent a unique condition where psychological distress manifests as seizure-like episodes. 

The key difference between PNES and epileptic seizures is that with PNES, there is no abnormal electrical brain activity seen in epilepsy.

These events can look exactly like epileptic seizures to observers. 

Symptoms of functional seizures may include convulsions, loss of consciousness, and confusion. But they require different treatment approaches than traditional antiepileptic medications.

PNES often develops in people who’ve experienced trauma, severe stress, or have underlying mental health conditions.

How is a functional seizure or PNES diagnosed?

The similarity between PNES and epileptic seizure symptoms leads to frequent misdiagnosis. Some people spend years on ineffective antiepileptic drugs before receiving the correct diagnosis.

Getting the right diagnosis is often the turning point. 

For PNES, this usually involves video EEG monitoring, which shows normal brain activity during episodes. It helps confirm that seizures aren’t epileptic in origin. That clarity matters because it guides the right kind of care.

Treatment options for PNES and panic disorder

Treatment focuses on what’s underneath the symptoms, not just stopping the episodes themselves. When PNES and panic disorder are accurately identified, psychotherapy options such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be highly effective. 

They help in reducing episodes, regaining confidence in your body, and feeling more in control over time.

Medication may be used for panic attacks and PNES when clinically appropriate, often alongside therapy.

Nurx offers a range of mental health medications, including SSRIs like sertraline (generic Zoloft®) and escitalopram (generic Lexapro®). These can help manage anxiety symptoms. 

Careful monitoring and coordination are especially important for people with seizure risk.

When to seek medical help for your symptoms

Recognizing when professional help is needed can prevent complications and ensure proper diagnosis. Don’t wait for symptoms to become unbearable before seeking support.

These are certain symptoms that may warrant immediate medical attention:

• Seizures lasting longer than five minutes
• Multiple seizures without full recovery between them
• First-time seizures
• Severe withdrawal symptoms when reducing anxiety medication, including confusion, hallucinations, or seizures
• Frequent panic attacks that interfere with daily life
• Suicidal thoughts or severe depression

For crisis support, call or text 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 

Taking the next step for your health

Understanding the connection between panic attacks and seizures is the first step toward the right treatment.

Panic attacks don’t cause epileptic seizures, but they can trigger psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). They can also make epileptic seizures harder to control if you already have epilepsy.

In many cases, the bigger risk comes from medication changes, particularly stopping certain anti-anxiety medications too quickly.

The good news? With the right diagnosis and care, these conditions are manageable. You don’t have to figure this out alone. Nurx makes anxiety care more accessible, with licensed providers, ongoing support, and safe medication management, all from home.

Getting answers is often the first step toward feeling steady again. Start your online mental health evaluation today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Can anxiety cause a seizure?

No, anxiety can’t cause epileptic seizures. However, they may lower the threshold for seizures in people with epilepsy. Moreover, severe anxiety and stress can trigger a condition called functional seizures, which mimic the symptoms of epileptic seizures but aren’t really the same. If you’re experiencing anxiety that’s affecting your daily life, Nurx providers can help you explore treatment options.

What does a mini seizure feel like?

A mini seizure (focal aware seizure or aura) feels like sudden, unusual sensations without losing consciousness. You might experience a wave-like feeling in your head, déjà vu, strange smells or tastes, intense emotions like fear or joy, tingling, or seeing flashing lights.

Physical signs can include muscle twitching in one area, sweating, rapid heartbeat, or difficulty speaking.

Could my panic attacks be seizures?

People often mistake panic attacks for seizures because they share similar symptoms, such as shaking, confusion, and feeling out of control.

However, panic attacks are caused by your body’s stress response (adrenaline), while true epileptic seizures result from abnormal brain activity. 

Some people experiencing panic attacks may actually have PNES (psychogenic seizures), which require different treatment. A neurologist can use EEG monitoring to differentiate between panic attacks, PNES, and epileptic seizures to ensure you get the right diagnosis and treatment.

Which anti-anxiety medications can trigger seizures?

Certain anti-anxiety medications, particularly benzodiazepines like alprazolam (Xanax®), lorazepam (Ativan®), and clonazepam (Klonopin®), can trigger seizures when stopped suddenly due to withdrawal.

Bupropion (Wellbutrin®), sometimes used for anxiety and depression, may also lower the seizure threshold, especially at higher doses. SSRIs and SNRIs generally carry a lower seizure risk but can still affect some individuals with pre-existing seizure disorders. 

Why should I never stop anxiety medication suddenly?

Abruptly stopping anxiety medications, especially benzodiazepines, can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms, including seizures, even in people without epilepsy. The risk is higher if you have a history of seizures or neurologic conditions.

What is the fear of having a seizure called?

Seizure phobia is an anxiety disorder where the fear of having a seizure triggers intense anxiety and avoidance behaviors. Since epilepsy involves unpredictable seizures, many people with epilepsy develop anxious anticipation about when the next one might occur. This creates a cycle where the anxiety itself becomes debilitating, sometimes even more challenging than the seizures themselves. Managing this anxiety often requires both seizure control and mental health support.

The information provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely upon this content for medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to a medical professional. Nurx does not provide talk therapy or crisis management. If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.

While Nurx can treat anxiety, we cannot perform the physical exams or lung function tests necessary to rule out primary heart or lung disease.

Services not offered in every state. Medications prescribed only if clinically appropriate, based on completion of the required consultation. Individual results may vary.

Bupropion HCl SR tablets (100mg, 150mg, & 200mg), Rx only, treats depression, seasonal affective disorder, and smoking cessation. Bupropion may also cause side effects including but not limited to nausea, constipation, headache, and dry mouth. Serious side effects may include increased risk of suicidal thoughts, hepatic dysfunction, and decreased seizure threshold. If you would like to learn more, see full prescribing information, here. Nurx providers screen for a history of seizures or eating disorders (like bulimia) before prescribing Bupropion, as these increase the risk.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Nurx does not prescribe benzodiazepines, but if you’ve previously been prescribed one, a licensed health care provider can help guide you on safe next steps.

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