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An Arts-Informed Study Describing Experiences Of Adults Diagnosed With Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures And Their Perceptions Of Interactions With Medical Practitioners, Kirsten Anne Bergren, Michal Ward

Master of Arts in Holistic Health Studies Research Papers

Trauma from abuse is complex and can manifest in many ways in the body, including psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), a kind of dissociation that resembles a seizure but is not an epileptic seizure. Medical practitioners often misdiagnose and misjudge people with PNES, and as a result, patients often feel stigmatized and misunderstood. The purpose of this research using an arts-informed method is to describe the experiences of adults diagnosed with PNES and their perceptions of interactions with medical practitioners relative to their PNES care. Using non-probability sampling via social media, six participants with a self-reported PNES diagnosis submitted a description …